


Convergence

by LOTSlover



Series: Revenge Series [4]
Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Sequel, Sexy Times, Squee, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-03-07 04:59:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 111,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3162137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOTSlover/pseuds/LOTSlover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Richard felt as if he was still dreaming as he began to rouse from his deep slumber to the feather like caress of soft lips lightly grazing his shoulder blade, tracing his toned musculature and causing a shiver of desire to suddenly ripple through his body. His own lips slowly curled into a sleepy contented smile, a barely audible moan escaping as a warm tongue snuck out to brush against his skin to steal a taste of him, teeth gently following.

He sighed dreamily as a hot wet trail was meticulously mapped out along his shoulder in a deliberate path towards his spine, long raven hair lightly skimming over his skin. The longer he let her go as she desired, the more painfully aroused he was becoming, his rapidly hardening member trapped beneath his body and begging for some much needed relief or attention – he wasn’t sure which.

His breathing began to grow a little more ragged as she shifted over him a little, humming softly to herself as her breasts brushed against him as well. He groaned a little louder this time, her name a whispered plea as fingers lightly traced down his spine to his backside, causing his entire body to tense as she slowly caressed his firm buttocks.

He instantly squeezed his legs together as she began kissing him there as well, gently biting him and causing his breath to catch in his throat as she took him by surprise. A strangled moan slipped out, his fingers curling into the blanket beneath him as he struggled to hang on for dear life.

His throat instantly went dry with the slow sweet torture he was happily surrendering to, battling to stay in complete control, but knowing he was fighting a losing battle especially when it came to her. He could never resist her and now, after two long years, he no longer had to.

“Spirits!” he growled deeply, gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes even tighter closed. “Kahlan…”

Her teeth sunk into his flesh once more, her lips caressing him as she sucked hard, leaving her mark on his backside. She smiled to herself as he cursed breathlessly, his toes flexing and his body beginning to tremble as he fought to remain still and let her have her way with him, anxious to see just what she would do next to him.

Kahlan knew that she was driving him wild, but she couldn’t help herself. She loved him, loved to watch him to see just what her kisses or touch actually did to him. A bite here…sensual caresses there, a long slow drag of her tongue against his heated flesh. She was memorizing every single reaction, every gasp and moan, trying to learn everything about him all over again and silently cursing herself for her lack of memories from her past.

She was already discovering how she adored driving him to the very brink, to the point where he thought he couldn’t take anymore only to suddenly draw him back ever so slightly only to take him to that blissful edge again and again. 

Besides that, she found she loved his ass.

She dipped her head down again, allowing her long hair to lightly skirt across him and smirking at the sight of the gooseflesh that it left in its wake. She slowly dragged her tongue along the firm muscle, pausing to nip at him again a little harder this time.

A sharp hissing intake of air though clenched teeth was his response as his hips suddenly jerked, his body shuddering with a need so fierce he thought he’d go mad. It was also her only warning as he abruptly flipped over onto his back, pulling her firmly down on top of him in one fluid motion that took her by surprise.

“You are an evil tease, Kahlan Amnell,” he huskily murmured as he arched up and smashed his mouth against hers. He kissed her hard, his hands firmly gripping her arms as he hungrily devoured her.

Breaking for air, Kahlan smiled down at him, a mischeivious glint in her sapphire eyes as she moved her hips to better straddle him, her silken raven hair falling like a dark shroud around her generous breasts. “I didn’t think you were ever going to wake up and play with me,” she teased, wiggling her hips over his hardened member to further torment him. “I thought I was going to have to take care of myself without you.”

A predatory gleam flashed through his chestnut brown eyes growing stormy with lust, his heated gaze raking intensely over her breathtaking form and causing her to shiver. He watched as her hand moved to cup her breast, her eyes fluttering closed in preparation of the pleasure her touch was about to elicit as she further teased him. 

Before she could even begin, she swiftly found herself being shoved onto her back, Richard hovering over her like a mountain cat pouncing on his prey. “Oh no you don’t,” he huskily murmured, grabbing her hips firmly with his large hands and tilting her entrance towards him.

His lips crashed into hers again, his tongue insistently probing her mouth as his hands roamed over her entire body, fondling and probing. He kissed along her throat, pausing to tease each breast before continuing down her toned stomach. She spread her legs wide, already beginning to pant in sweet anticipation where his mouth was heading.

Richard kissed her inner thigh, nipping at the sensitive skin there and causing her to tighten her muscles in anxious excitement of where she wanted his hot mouth and tongue to be. “Richard,” she breathlessly pleaded with him, her legs beginning to tremble with an overpowering need she couldn’t quite understand but knew only he could satisfy.

He kissed along her other inner thigh, avoiding giving her what she so desperately wanted for a few moments longer in order to prolong her torture. She lifted her hips, squirming and trying to get his mouth to touch her where she wanted him to, but he refused, gripping her thighs firmly in his hands and holding her still as he tormented her in much the same way that she had done to him just moments ago.

The scent of her arousal was driving him absolutely crazy with an overwhelming desire to have her every way imaginable, doing to her all the things that he’d ever fantasized in his dreams. Unable to deny either of them what they both wanted, he finally gave in, tasting her fully and causing her back to suddenly arch with intense pleasure as she cried out.

Kahlan gasped sharply, her hands finding his hair and holding him against her hot center with a desperate need she couldn’t begin to articulate. “Don’t…stop…please…” she chanted in panting breaths. “Richard…yes…yes!”

She arched her neck, her body pleading with him to take her over that sweet precipice once more. Instead, he suddenly stopped, causing her to growl in disappointment as he began to slowly kiss along her stomach, working his way back up to her mouth again. He kissed her leisurely …deeply, taking his time and allowing her to taste herself on his tongue.

He greedily swallowed her moan as his hand snaked down her body to finally join them as one. He suddenly pushed himself into her entrance, Kahlan’s body bowing again with the sudden fierce intrusion, unimaginable pleasure searing through her veins as he immersed himself fully inside of her in one powerful stroke.

Her head flew back as his name was torn from her throat, her chest thrusting up into the air. She didn’t care if the whole Aku village heard her as Richard began to slide in and out of her, so hot like a flame and hard as steel. This was her Richard, the man that she loved above all else, the man she was going to marry, but not nearly soon enough.

Kahlan repeatedly raked her fingers through his hair, her toes curling into the blanket beneath her as her body began to hum with the sheer rapture thundering through her. Her blood began to pulse wildly in her ears with every bone-rattling slam of Richard’s hips against hers.

She could hardly catch her breath before he was thrusting hard into her all over again, her heart hammering violently in her chest. She began to grow lightheaded with the pleasure spiking through her, her gasps mingling with his grunts as sweat trickled down between her breasts. It felt as if he couldn’t possibly reach any deeper inside of her and yet he couldn’t thrust deep enough. She wanted him…every single hard inch of him fully inside of her.

Her head kept rolling from side to side with the frenzy he was stirring up deep within her core, her magic rushing through her only to run in hot waves like a powerful current beneath her skin, waiting for that precise moment when sweet release would finally be granted.

Richard buried his face in the crook of her neck, losing himself to the amazing sensations coursing through him like a fierce firestorm. He wrapped his arms more firmly around her, his hands settling on her back slick with sweat, holding her tightly to him for fear of being swept away by the heated passion they were creating as he continued to piston himself in and out of her.

The breathless chanting murmur of his name was only heating his blood even further, his body moving and responding to her of its own accord, giving her absolutely everything he had, every single ounce of love that he held for her poured into each powerful jerking buck of his hips.

Just when Kahlan thought that she couldn’t possibly take anymore, Richard kissed along her throat, biting and sucking hard and driving her over the edge. She felt as if she was soaring as she came with a cry of pleasure, her eyes swirling to black before returning to sapphire blue again.

Richard clung to her trembling form, driving into her a few more times before finally losing himself deep within her, his hot seed filling her so very full. His mouth found hers again, rough and yet passionate as he fought to calm down from his violent release.

“I…I can’t get…enough of you,” he panted heavily, kissing along her cheekbone to her ear. “I love you…so much…Kahlan. I hope…you know that.”

“I love you too, Richard,” she sighed, relishing the feel of his weight pressing into her and his length still buried so very deep inside of her. She never wanted this to end.

“We should probably go get cleaned up soon,” Richard finally reluctantly said, kissing her one last time before rolling off of her and onto his back, his chest still rising and falling rapidly. “I’m sure they’ll come looking for us soon and I want to talk to Tolla about marrying us soon.”

Kahlan groaned in disappointment as she rolled onto her side so she could face him, propping her head up with her hand. “I don’t ever want to leave this place,” she murmured, lightly running a finger over his chest as she traced his muscles still damp with sweat.

Richard smirked at her as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “I want to marry you and then get you back to Aydindril,” he informed her.

“Why Aydindril?” she asked with a frown.

“Because that’s where the Mother Confessor rules the Midlands from,” he told her. “Besides, we need to get back there so Zedd can consult some of the books at the Wizard’s Keep in order to help you get your memories back.”

He watched as her frown deepened, her blue eyes filling with sudden sadness as she kept her focus on his chest. Rolling onto his side so he could face her, he reached out to hook a raven curl behind her ear. “What’s wrong, Kahlan?” he gently asked. “Don’t you want to go back to your home?”

“Not really,” she thoughtfully admitted as she picked at a thread in the blanket beneath them. “I don’t remember my home and after hearing about some of the things that you’ve told me, I don’t know if I want to be a ruler or the Mother Confessor.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want anything that will take me away from you,” she confessed, her focus solely on the blanket, afraid of meeting his gaze for fear he’d think less of her.

“Hey,” Richard said, his finger beneath her chin gently forcing her to meet his gaze. “Nothing in this world or the Underworld below could ever take you away from me, Kahlan. I won’t allow it.”

Kahlan smiled softly at him, her eyes brightening with his promise. “Richard, I don’t even know how to rule,” she insisted, her eyes falling closed in defeat. “How am I supposed to rule a whole territory when I don’t even remember who I am or my past?”

“I’ll be there to help you every step of the way,” he reassured her, tenderly caressing her cheek still flushed with passion. “Besides, we will find a way to regain your memories. I’m not giving up on getting them back for you.”

“What if it’s permanent?” she asked. “What then? Are you still going to want to marry me when I can’t even remember the first time I saw you? The first moment that I knew without a doubt that I loved you above all else or our very first kiss?”

“I’ll just have to keep kissing you until you remember,” he teased with a lop-sided grin as he nuzzled her nose with his.

She gave him her special smile before her face suddenly grew serious once again. “I feel so safe when I’m with you, Richard…like I’m home.”

Her words seemed to reach right inside of him and touch his very soul as he stared at her, mesmerized by how unbelievably beautiful she truly was. Before he realized what he was doing, his lips were suddenly moving roughly against hers once more, his tongue plundering her mouth as he swiftly moved over her and pinned her to the blanket beneath her, taking what was only his to take.

The thought made him hard for her all over again as he began to ravish her with his hands and mouth. With a forceful gasp, Kahlan sucked in a sharp breath just before his mouth descended on hers all over again, a wild frenzy of passion suddenly storming inside of her again.

“Richard…” she managed to get out between heated kisses. “Sh…shouldn’t we…Spirits…go get cleaned up?”

“Later,” he practically growled out. “Right now, you’re mine to do with as I please…and I want you again…now.”

The lustful smolder in his dark brown eyes was just a brief glimpse of the heated storm that was about to rock her, a warning that she needed to hang on tight for what was about to come. It caused a violent shiver of desire to surge through her veins, knowing that she was going to be on the receiving end of that intense lust and passion, the possessiveness in his touch.

Spirits, she loved him, her body fully responding to him as his calloused hand began to roughly stroke her thigh. She couldn’t help the strangled yelp that tore from her throat as he suddenly drove into her again, his large hands wrapping around her and swiftly pulling her to sit up to straddle his lap. 

She clung to his rock hard body once more as he created another slow passionate build within her, praying that it would never end as his mouth latched onto her breast. She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him against her as she rocked her hips against his.

XXX

Cara sat down next to Zedd with a huff, pulling her blond hair behind her ear with a fierce scowl on her lips. She watched as Zedd shoveled in one heaping spoonful after another into his mouth of some sort of greenish colored substance without even taking a breath.

“Cara, my dear,” he managed to say in between bites. “You have got to try this porridge that Caref made. It’s positively fabulous.”

“It looks terrible,” the Mord’Sith said with a wrinkled nose that accompanied the scowl that was already set firmly on her face.

“Now, you can’t make assumptions without having tried it first,” he chided her, glancing at her and noticing her sour mood. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Richard and Kahlan,” Cara ground out. “They’ve haven’t left that damned Spirit House since Kahlan finally woke up yesterday. They’ve been in there going at it like animals in heat. It’s a wonder that the village got any sleep last night.”

Zedd chuckled with her words, setting his now empty bowl aside. “Cara, I think of all the people in this world, Richard and Kahlan deserve this time alone together more than anyone I know.”

“I know they do,” Cara reluctantly agreed. “I’m happy for them, but we still have to do something about Demos Rahl. He’s not going to just sit back and let this go. He’s obsessed with them. He’s not going to stop until he has his hands on them again.”

“Right now, they’re safe and Demos has no idea where they are,” Zedd pointed out. “After what they’ve just been through, I believe they deserve a chance to just breathe for a day or so, to reconnect with one another. After that, we’ll need to head to Aydindril so we can figure out how to get Kahlan’s memories back for her.”

“The sooner the better,” Cara muttered with a frown. “I don’t think I can take the look of absolute helplessness in Lord Rahl’s eyes every time he looks at her. He looks like a lost little puppy.”

“Richard is really struggling with Kahlan’s memory loss,” he explained. “He wants the old Kahlan back much like we all do.”

Cara sighed in frustration, her eyes growing distant with the fear that she had left unspoken until now. “And what if you can’t unlock her memories for her? What if they are no longer there to be recovered?”

Zedd drew a deep thoughtful breath before finally responding, sharing her fears. “I guess we’ll just have to find a way of dealing with it then,” he admitted. “Our Kahlan is still in there somewhere. Hopefully, we’ll be able to help her rebuild some of the things that she’s lost.”

“Well, we better do it fast because you know that Demos is going to be coming back with everything he’s got,” Cara reminded him, wishing more than anything that she could just get her hands on him herself and end this.

Neither Richard nor Kahlan had divulged much about what had happened with Demos Rahl, but Cara could tell by the horror that had flashed through Richard’s eyes when Zedd had asked him a couple of days ago that it had been worse than anything they could begin to imagine.

“Do you think that Richard will ever tell us what happened with Demos?” she finally asked, her gaze wandering over to the Spirit House standing all alone on the far side of the village.

“I imagine he might in time, but I doubt it’ll be any time soon,” Zedd thoughtfully replied as he stroked his chin. “Whatever happened affected him deeply and I have a feeling that Kahlan was at the very heart of it.”

Cara internally shuddered despite herself, remembering some of the horrors that Darken Rahl had submitted her to – the pain, humiliation, the utter shame. She just hoped that Demos hadn’t been as sick or sadistic as his twin brother was, but she had a feeling that wasn’t the case. Demos was likely worse if Richard’s expression was any indication when they had asked him about it.

She just hoped that in time they’d both be able to truly heal from it all.

XXX

Demos sat in his chair in the throne room, a glass of wine in hand as he brooded over the losses that he’d received, the painful blows that he’d been dealt by the Seeker and Mother Confessor. Not only had they both escaped, but they had killed his favorite Mord’Sith, Mistress Lucinda.

With a sneer on his lips, he clutched his wine goblet even tighter in his hand, gritting his teeth with the rage burning within. He would make them suffer in the most horrifying ways possible for what they had done. Richard would experience horrific pain unlike anything he’d ever known and Kahlan…Kahlan would be his to do with as he pleased.

His sneer morphed into a wicked smirk as he imagined having her, personally breaking her and bending her to his will as he bent her over the edge of his bed and took her. She would be his greatest conquest, trained to rule by his side while Richard was nothing more than his little lap dog, chained to the floor in the corner and forced to watch as he lived his life with Kahlan.

It would slowly and painfully eat him alive, being forced to watch as Demos lived out the fantasy that Richard wanted to have with her, watching as he took Kahlan every night and every morning. He would have to listen to her as she screamed in pleasure, crying his name…not Richard’s…and begging him for more.

His smirk broadened into a wicked grin at the thought, his eyes darkening with primal lust. His throat suddenly went dry with the erotic thoughts flowing through his mind. Kahlan would know such mind-numbing pain mingled with pleasure that she’d never want to leave him. She’d know what it was like to be with a real man for once.

His dark eyes began to gleam as Darken Rahl’s form suddenly took shape in the large fireplace to his left. “Brother,” Demos drawled, taking a long drink from his wine glass. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I have come to see if you’ve found a way to get our dear brother and his Confessor back yet?”

“Not yet, but I certainly don’t need your help,” Demos bit out as he stood to his feet.

“Actually, quite the opposite is true,” Darken calmly replied. “I’d say that you need me now more than ever.”

Demos sneered at his brother as he made his way to the table, pouring himself another glass of wine. “You have done nothing to help me so far,” he pointed out with a stony glare. “What makes you think you can help me now or that I’d even want your help?”

“Because I am already sending in reinforcements to aide you in your pursuit of them,” Darken revealed with a dark grin. 

“And who would that be?” Demos asked, looking up sharply in sudden interest.

“Sisters of the Dark,” Darken informed him with a wicked grin. “They are faithful servants to the Keeper, resolved in setting him free from the Underworld. We have recently brought a wayward lamb back into the fold.”

“And why would they help me?” he demanded to know.

“Let’s just say that we both have an interest in what happens to Richard and Kahlan,” Darken explained. “You want Kahlan and the Keeper wants Richard.”

Demos considered it for a long moment. While he had wanted to keep Richard with him so he could torture him as he pleased, having him out of his life permanently was just as equally appealing. Of course, he could always go back on his deal with the Keeper.

Looking up at his faithful Mord’Sith standing guard at the doors, Demos called for them. “Mistress Sabina,” he said. “There will be some guests arriving here soon. I want them brought to me immediately when they arrive”

“Yes, my Lord,” she replied with a bow of her head in humble service. 

“And also send Mistress Natalie to me here at once,” he added with a lustful grin. “I’m going to want some assistance with relaxing while I wait for our guests’ arrival.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 2

Richard made his way back to the Aku village, walking hand in hand with the woman who had stolen his heart two years ago. He could hardly keep his eyes off of her let alone his hands or his mouth as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. 

Her long wet raven hair clung to her bare shoulders, the blue dress Caref had made for her embracing her very womanly curves. The warm afternoon sunlight shone off of her flawless skin, her sapphire eyes sparkling brighter than the most perfect gems. She seemed to glow with a radiance lit from within. It only served to heat his blood even more remembering the passion they had shared last night and this morning.

It aroused his desire knowing what lay beneath that tempting blue material that perfectly draped her body, the beautiful woman that was all his and no one else’s. No other man had ever touched her like he had; caressed and fondled her, taken her and reveled in the exquisite physical pleasure that she had given him. And no other man ever would as long as there was still breath in his lungs.

He had come so very near to losing her this time, the closest he’d ever come and it rattled him to his core. He didn’t want to go another moment before finally marrying her and making her his wife forever. He wanted to make a family and build a home with her, but there was one who still stood in the way of his dream.

Kahlan’s melodious voice suddenly cut through his thoughts, forcing him back to the moment. “What?” he asked.

“What is it, Richard?” Kahlan softly asked, a confused smile on her face as she shyly dipped her head, hooking a lock of wet hair behind her ear.

“What are you talking about?” Richard replied as his gaze narrowed, shaking his head to clear the various thoughts that still clouded his mind. 

“I was just wondering why you were staring at me like that,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, abruptly looking away. “It’s just that so much has happened to us lately. I’ve been living with so much fear that I was going to lose you…never have you in my arms again. Now that you’re finally safe with me, I’m just having a very hard time believing it’s real. I’m so afraid that you’re going to just disappear or I’ll wake up to find that last night and this morning was nothing more than an amazing dream.”

She squeezed his hand in response, his special smile playing on her lips. Despite not having her memory, that smile for him seemed to be a part of her that could never be erased no matter what happened. “I’m right here, Richard,” she reassured him. “I’m not going anywhere without with you…I promise.”

Her words caused his heart to grow warm with overwhelming love. It had felt wonderful swimming with her in the hot spring and of course the fierce passion from the Spirit House had more than carried over to their bath. They couldn’t keep their hands off of each other even if they had wanted to, needing to constantly touch one another, unable to bear being apart from the other for very long. It was magical and amazing and he never wanted it to ever end.

Making love to her in the spring had been amazing, reminding him of the last time they had done that before Demos’s magical spell had tried to take her away from him. “Do you remember being with me in the hot spring before this morning?” he curiously asked.

Kahlan thought for a moment, her forehead creasing as she wracked her brain for a memory that refused to surface. “I’m sorry…I don’t,” she finally told him, guilt springing anew inside of her. “I thought that was our first time making love in the hot springs.”

Richard swallowed hard, disheartened by the fact that she couldn’t remember. He had hoped that making love to her there again might help trigger the special memory that he carried with him. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he told her as they reached the outskirts of the village. “I want to talk to Tolla about marrying you.”

Though he tried to hide it, she could see how deeply it bothered him that she couldn’t remember. She wished that she could get her memories back so he wouldn’t worry so much about her. She would do anything in this world to make him smile, to erase the concern that filled his dark brown eyes every time he looked at her.

“What’s the matter?” Richard asked, noticing her suddenly solemn expression. “Don’t you want to get married?”

“Yes, of course I want to marry you,” she confirmed with a nod of her head. “I just…I feel bad that I don’t remember more about you like where you’re from, who your parents are or if you have any brothers or sisters. What is your favorite food? Do you like to take long walks?”

He pulled her to a sudden stop, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry, Kahlan,” he softly apologized, pulling her into his arms and holding her close to him. “If you don’t want to get married now we don’t have to. I should give you time to regain some more of your memories before thinking about marrying me.”

Kahlan returned his warm embrace, relishing the feel of him against her, his woodsy masculine scent that drove her wild. She felt so safe when she was with him, complete in a way that she couldn’t begin to describe. She didn’t remember much about him, but she knew with every fiber of her being that she loved him above anything else in this world.

“It’s alright, Richard,” she assured him. “I want to marry you, but I just want you to be absolutely sure that you’re really ready to marry me even though I may never fully regain my memories.”

Richard pulled back to look into her blue eyes full of such apprehension, as if she was afraid of what his answer might be. “I’m not sure if you’ll ever get your memories back,” he told her, his hand come to rest against the curve of her face. “What I am absolutely sure of is that I want to wake up to your gorgeous face every morning and make love to you every night for the rest of my life. I want to have a beautiful little girl and build a home, grow old and gray with you, Kahlan.” 

The corner of her lips curled with his every word, a warm rush of desire and love flooding her veins as she lost herself in the chestnut brown eyes that were staring back at her, a perfect mirror to his very soul. “I love you, Richard,” she murmured, tears blurring her vision.

“I love you so much, Kahlan,” Richard replied, doing his best to hide his disappointment with the words that he were sticking to his tongue and yet knew he needed to say them. “We’ll wait to get married for now, but I am going to court you, give you a chance to get to know me all over again.”

Kahlan’s heart wrestled with so many emotions in that moment, wanting so badly to marry him but feeling so confused about everything. “Richard, I don’t want to make you wait to get married. If you want to get married now, we will.”

“I can wait for you forever, Kahlan, as long as I have you with me,” he firmly stated. “I would rather give up my own life now than have to live a lifetime without you.”

Kahlan answered him with a sweet kiss, her lips moving hungrily over his. He readily returned her kiss with equal intensity, savoring the feel of her soft lips against his, the taste of her that lingered on his tongue. He never grew tired of this, of always wanting her.

Finally breaking the kiss, Richard took her face into his hands. “You mean everything to me, Kahlan… everything. I don’t want you to ever forget that,” he told her, breathing heavily. “There’s nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do for you.”

“I wish I could remember what I ever did to deserve you,” she softly admitted.

“It’s actually me who doesn’t deserve you,” Richard confessed with a crooked smile. “I’m sure you’ll remember that eventually.”

Before Kahlan could respond, the sound of Cara’s voice interrupted the sweet moment. “Alright you two,” Cara called as she approached them. “I think you have had more than enough time reuniting. We need to be on our way to Aydindril soon.”

“What’s the hurry, Cara?” Richard asked with a frown. “The rift is sealed and the Keeper is safely locked away in the Underworld where he can’t escape. I think that we more than deserve a little bit of a rest don’t you?”

“Have you forgotten about your lunatic brother who is currently obsessed with getting his hands on the two of you?” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation, wondering why no one else seemed to share her worry or sense of urgency about any of this.

“No, I haven’t forgotten,” Richard ground out in annoyance with the reminder.

“We need to get the two of you safely back to Aydindril where you can be fully protected by the Aydindril army,” Cara told them.

“Demos doesn’t even know where we’re at right now,” Richard reminded her.

“He will not stop until he finds you and Kahlan,” Cara snapped, her hands finding her hips in agitation. “You might not be so lucky the next time. The sooner we can get you safely within the walls of Aydindril and the Confessor’s Palace, the better I’ll feel about all of this.”

“Cara, I truly appreciate your concern for us,” he replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. “If it weren’t for you, we’d have been killed more times than I can count. I promise that we’ll leave for Aydindril in a couple of days, but right now I think we need to just enjoy the peace that we finally have. 

“For once, we don’t have to look over our shoulders or have to run for our lives. I want you to try and relax during this break. You deserve it just as much as we do.”

Cara glared at him, a scowl on her lips as she considered his words. “Relax?”

“Yes, I want you to relax, Cara; go for a swim or go hunting in the woods, take a nap and enjoy this quiet for just a little while before the next catastrophe hits,” he told her.

“Fine,” she spat out, her fists clenched tightly at her sides as she suddenly spun on her heel and stormed away, muttering profanities under her breath.

Kahlan watched the Mord’Sith as she stormed away, confused about what had just happened. “Is she always so irritable like that?”

Richard chuckled softly with her question. “That wasn’t irritable,” he informed her in amusement. “That was just Cara being Cara. You’ll definitely know it when she’s irritable.”

“Maybe she’s right, Richard,” Kahlan thoughtfully said. “Demos isn’t going to stop until he has us. Maybe we should start heading to this Aydindril as soon as possible.”

Richard took her hands in his, holding them firmly. “I promise I’ll get you to Aydindril where you’ll be safe. We’ll leave in a couple of days, but for now I plan on enjoying every single moment that I have with you in this village where Demos can’t find us.”

“I just can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you,” she told him, pursing her lips. “I saw how much Demos hated you and wanted to hurt you, Richard. I won’t let him try to do that to you again especially through me.”

“You saved me, Kahlan,” he said, his hand coming to rest on the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. “Once I get you safely to Aydindril, I’m going to stop Demos once and for all, keep him from ever hurting you ever again.”

“You can’t, Richard,” she insisted; panic instantly filling her sapphire eyes and squeezing her throat with the thought. “I won’t let you go after him because of me. We need to stay as far away from him as possible. Maybe we should go someplace where he can’t find us, someplace far away.”

“I can’t live knowing that he’s still out there, plotting and scheming to get his hands on you again,” he stated, his tone hard as steel. “Besides, you need to be in Aydindril. It’s the ruling seat for the Mother Confessor. The Midlands can’t be without you.”

Kahlan pulled away from him, her heart beginning to hammer with fear. “And I can’t live with the thought of him killing you.”

“I won’t let that happen,” he promised her.

“You don’t know that for certain,” she scowled, her anger flaring. “He’ll go to any lengths to get to you, even using dark magic if necessary to do it. Besides that, there’s the prophecy that they told us in Canecia.”

It was Richard’s turn to scowl with the mention of the prophecy. “I don’t believe in prophecy, Kahlan,” he snapped, his hands curling into fists, wondering how this had suddenly turned into an argument. 

“Don’t you think that maybe you should at least look into it? It might be something very dangerous, something that could take you away from me.”

He released a long slow breath in an effort to rein in his building frustration. It wasn’t her that he was upset with. It was Demos for interfering in their lives, for trying to take away what he loved most. It was also prophecy with the way that it always managed to twist its way into his life like a poisonous vine, creating nothing but chaos and misery.

“I don’t want you worrying about it, Kahlan,” he told her as he tried to take her hand in his again. “I’ll talk to Zedd about it later, but for now just let me deal with it. It’s probably nothing important anyways.”

Kahlan jerked her hand away from his, her anger growing hotter as she glared at him. “Don’t try to placate me,” she yelled at him. “I’m not stupid, Richard. Just because I don’t have my memories doesn’t mean that I can’t figure out what’s going on.”

“Kahlan…I never meant…” he began, stunned by her outburst.

“I saw the look on your face when Eliam quoted that prophecy to you,” Kahlan bit out. “I saw the way your face grew pale and your eyes filled with fear, Richard. That wasn’t just ‘nothing’ that you felt in that moment when you heard those words. Something about that prophecy truly scared you.”

Richard stood and stared at her for a long moment, a multitude of thoughts and feelings flooding him. “Kahlan, I’m sorry,” he apologized, trying to find the words to make her believe him. “I never meant to make you feel that way.”

Kahlan drew a deep breath, trying to calm the anger and frustration simmering inside of her. “I just don’t want to be treated any differently than you would normally treat me. Even though I can’t remember my past, I must have been fairly intelligent if I’m the Mother Confessor like you say that I am.”

“Yes, you are,” he replied. Despite not having her memories back, she was still the same fiery Kahlan that he had fallen in love with. It brought him a small sense of relief to see her resurfacing more and more over time, her confidence beginning to return. “You are one of the most intelligent people I have ever known and losing your memory is no way a reflection on that.”

“Just promise me that you won’t coddle me,” she insisted. “I may not remember much about who I am, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have put up with it before all of this had happened.”

“No…no, you most certainly wouldn’t have,” he agreed. “I am sorry, Kahlan. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s alright,” she reassured him as they continued back towards the Spirit House. “It’s just very hard right now. I’m struggling to figure everything out, but being treated like a child who doesn’t know anything won’t help me.”

Richard bit back a smile, causing her to stop and scowl again at him. “What now?” she demanded in exasperation, a measure of her anger returning.

He shook his head, fighting back a grin. “It’s just such a great relief to see the real you still in there even though you may not remember everything.”

“There you two are!”

Richard and Kahlan turned to find Zedd walking towards them with a bowl and spoon in hand, a smile lighting his wrinkled face. “So good of the two of you to finally come out and show your faces again,” he teased. “I wanted to check on Kahlan and see how you’ve been feeling, my dear.”

“Well, according to Richard, I’m my usual self though I can’t remember what that is yet,” she replied, glancing sidelong at the handsome man standing beside her.

“Hopefully, I can find a way to get your memories back for you,” Zedd told her. “I was actually going to see if I could spend some time with you this afternoon to see if I might be able to help things along.”

“I would really appreciate anything you can do to help me,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll meet you back at the Spirit House. I’m going to finish getting ready.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Richard told her. “I need to talk to Zedd.”

Kahlan stared at him for a long moment, trying to determine what the Seeker was up to before finally giving up and leaving him alone with the wizard. She hoped that he was going to discuss the prophecy that they had learned in Canecia and not her. He worried far too much about her and not enough about himself. Demos wanted him dead and it terrified her more than she carried to think about.

Richard studied her as she walked away, relishing the sight of her perfect form as he released a heavy sigh that Zedd immediately noticed. “What’s wrong, my boy?” he asked with a concerned frown.

“I’m just still worried about Kahlan,” he admitted. “She’s really struggling right now. She feels so lost though she tries her best to hide it from me. She also feels that I’m coddling her, but I’m only trying to protect her.”

“From what?” he questioned his grandson, noticing that he was holding something more back.

“When we were in Canecia where we found the Stone of Tears, Eliam told us about a prophecy,” he informed him. “Kahlan must have picked up on my apprehension when they told it to us.”

“You don’t take any stock in prophecy,” Zedd replied as he licked his spoon. “Why did this one affect you so much now?”

“It said ‘fuer grissa ost drauka will follow his heart’s deepest desire, but doing so will only cause him to lose it forever to a path already travelled’,” Richard quoted for him. “Any idea what it could possibly mean?”

Zedd’s wiry eyebrows knitted together in thought as he contemplated the words. “Well, you already know that fuer grissa ost drauka is you of course and your heart’s deepest desire is Kahlan.”

“I already know that part, but it’s the second part that made my insides twist into knots,” Richard stated, anger lacing his voice. “It’s talking about losing Kahlan forever to a path already travelled if I pursue her, but what is that path? How am I going to lose her?”

“I’m not sure,” Zedd mumbled, thoughtfully glancing at his grandson. “Prophecy has never affected you this deeply before. Why is it upsetting you this time?”

“I don’t know,” he confessed, shaking his head as he drew a ragged breath. “All I know is that when I heard that prophecy, it felt like ice water washing through me. It was as if Kahlan was already gone forever and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it.”

XXX

Demos stood before a map of D’Hara that lay spread out over his desk. He had made numerous marks on it where there had been witnessed sightings of Richard and Kahlan since escaping from the People’s Palace. Unfortunately, none of the scouting parties had found them as of yet.

He thoughtfully began to wonder where exactly they were hiding out. It had to be somewhere to the south of the Palace, possibly southeast…maybe southwest. He ran the tip of his finger along the direction they seemed to have last been heading. There wasn’t anything in that area except for dense forests and some primitive villages.

Sitting down in his chair, Demos began to rub his chin as he thought through all of the possibilities. “Where are you Kahlan?” he murmured to himself.

He knew that now that the rift was sealed and the Keeper was no longer a looming threat, they would no doubt be making their way back to Aydindril. Richard and Kahlan would want to make a run home to the Midlands in order to secure the ruling seat of the territory before waging an attack on him.

He had no qualms about the fact that Richard would want to wage a counter-attack against him in an attempt to take over the throne. His brother was next in line to rule D’Hara and Demos was not about to give it up for any reason, especially to Richard Rahl.

Leaning forward, Demos grabbed his goblet of wine, taking a long drink as he thought about his options. He didn’t like the idea of an alliance with his deceased twin brother, but he was running out of choices. He wanted Kahlan back and he wanted her now. Making Richard suffer would just be an added plus.

Knowing he was in the deepest pits of the Underworld suffering for all eternity did hold a certain amount of attraction to it, but he wanted to see it for himself, watch him as he repeatedly begged for death. It would be a desperate futile plea that would never be granted.

A sudden knock at the door, tore him from his brooding thoughts. “Enter!” he snapped.

The doors opened to reveal Mistress Sabina. “Lord Rahl, your guests have arrived,” she announced.

“Show them in,” he ordered, standing to his feet.

Demos moved to stand by the fireplace, watching as nine Sisters of the Dark enter, dressed in gauzy orange dresses that billowed around them. They were led into the room by a beautiful blond woman, her eyes hard and full of resolve and purpose. 

A smile slowly formed on his lips as he allowed his suddenly hungry gaze to roam over her exquisite feminine form. He had heard rumors about her, but now here she was before him, larger than life and here to do his every bidding.

“Mistress Nicci, I assume,” Demos drawled, a sinful smirk playing on his lips as she came to a stop before her.

Her lips twitched with the way that he leered so darkly at her, her expression hardening like stone. “Yes,” she coldly stated.

“I had heard that you had broken free from the Keeper’s hold on you,” he said as he slowly walked around her, his hands clasped behind his back as he inspected his newest prize.

“My fellow Sisters managed to capture me, helped me to see the error of my ways,” Nicci smoothly replied, stiffening as Rahl dragged a single finger along her shoulder and down her slender arm.

“And now you are here to do my bidding,” Demos told her as he came to a stop before her again. His smile had somehow managed to become even darker.

“I am here to do my master’s will,” she sneered. “You are inconsequential to me and my Sisters.”

Demos chuckled softly as he stared into her green eyes. “We’ll just have to see about that, my dear Nicci.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 3

Kahlan sat before Zedd with her eyes closed as the wizard began to use his magic to probe her mind in hopes of recovering her lost memories. She felt a nervous wave rising inside of her as he touched her temples with his fingertips, afraid that she might never get her memories back.

She could feel Richard sitting right next to her, his presence bringing her a measure of much needed peace. She instinctively reached out to him, searching for and finding his hand. She quickly laced her fingers through his, holding onto her lifeline…her soul-mate.

Richard smiled to himself as he moved his other hand to wrap around their joined hands, loving how she wanted him there with her…needed him. Despite not having her memories, the bond that they shared was still there and stronger than ever before it would seem.

He couldn’t stop staring at her, admiring how absolutely beautiful she truly was. She had her hair gathered up and secured at the back of her neck, a few errant curls falling free and revealing the slender column of her neck that he loved to kiss.

She looked so regal and noble, so very much like the powerful Mother Confessor that he knew her to be though she had no idea of the extent of the powerful magic that flowed through her veins or the absolute authority she held with her title.

Zedd suddenly sat back with a huff of annoyance, causing Kahlan to open her eyes in surprise. “What is it?” she asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes,” Zedd grumbled. “You need to stop thinking about Richard. You’re mind is filled with nothing but him.”

A rosy blush suffused her face and neck as she cast a sidelong glance at her Seeker who had a dreamy grin on his face. That smile on his lips and the darkening lust in his eyes was not making her blush fade away any faster. She suddenly felt like a deer about to be pounced on by a ravenous gar.

“I’m sorry,” Kahlan murmured in embarrassment, pulling her hand free from Richard’s hold on her much to his disappointment. “I’ll try to clear my mind of all distractions”

Zedd turned to Richard, a frown on his weathered face. “Richard, my boy, I think it would be better if you go find Cara or have a nice long chat with Tolla until I’m done.”

“What? No way!” Richard exclaimed, taking Kahlan’s hand in his again. “I’m not leaving her.”

“Richard, it’ll be alright,” Kahlan reassured him.

Zedd stared at them for a long moment before finally relenting. “Fine, you can stay, but stand over there so she’s not distracted by you.”

Richard looked to where Zedd was pointing which was on the far side of the clearing in the woods that they had found so they could be alone. With a frown, the Seeker reluctantly made his way to where he had been directed to go wait. 

With a huff, he turned on his heel, positioning himself so he could carefully watch Kahlan and Zedd. Leaning his back against the trunk of a thick tree, he folded his arms against his chest, a scowl firmly on his lips. He didn’t like being this far away from her especially with his grandfather working on restoring something that may or may not ever come back.

He hated this, hated everything about it. It was unfair for this to have happened to her…to them…especially now. They had finally been able to be together the way that they’d wanted ever since meeting for the first time two years ago, the rift was sealed and the Keeper safely in the Underworld where he belonged. Things were finally falling into place for them except now she didn’t remember him, their past together.

Everything inside of him ached to fix all of this for her, to make it all better for her. She deserved to be happy, to have nothing but love in her life. They’d suffered far too much in their quests to defeat evil for her to be left with no memories like this.

“I’m sorry, Zedd,” Kahlan softly said, hooking an errant curl behind her ear. “I’ll try to keep my mind clear so you can work.”

Zedd smiled affectionately at her as he patted her knee. “Don’t worry about it, my dear. I’m very happy for the two of you,” the Wizard reassured her. “Now that we’ve gotten rid of the distraction maybe we can make a little progress now.”

Kahlan smiled shyly in response, suddenly nervous about what sort of things Zedd was going to be finding in her mind. She did her best to suppress the memories of the passionate love that she and Richard had made since she’d woken, but it was next to impossible. She’d never known love like this or at least couldn’t remember it.

Lifting his hands, Zedd placed the tips of his fingers against her temples again as his eyes fell shut. “Alright, just relax and try to keep your mind clear.”

Kahlan closed her eyes, taking a long slow deep breath in an effort to squelch the passion still thrumming through her. She forced herself to remain calm, to think of nothing but her surroundings – the clear blue sky above, the warmth of the sun on her face, the smell of the grass and trees, the sounds of the birds singing around her.

She allowed the tranquility encircling her to fully wrap around her, to encompass her and hold her. She felt the warm trickle of Zedd’s magic as it began to weave and wind its way in and through her mind, searching for something that she so desperately hoped could be found.

She could feel the gentle prodding of his magic as he tried to remove anything that could possibly be lingering inside, keeping her memories from resurfacing. He had warned her before they had even started that there was a chance that her mind could have been completely erased by the spell that Demos had placed on her, but the fact that she had been able to remember shards of events made him more optimistic about it.

“How’s it going?”

Richard turned his head to find Tolla Nakunam coming to stand beside him, his gaze focused on Kahlan and Zedd on the far side of the clearing. “They’re just starting,” Richard informed him, his annoyance abundantly obvious.

A smile pulled at Tolla’s lips as he turned his attention to the Seeker beside him. “So why were banished over here?”

Richard straightened up a little in indignation as he turned to look at the Aku warrior. “How did you know?”

“It’s painfully obvious,” Tolla replied with a chuckle. “You are standing over here when you clearly wish to be over there. Besides, you have not left Confessor Kahlan’s side since she woke. I doubt that you would be this far away from her unless you had been commanded to by Zedd.”

Richard’s frown deepened as he leaned his back against the tree trunk again, his gaze solely on Kahlan. “He couldn’t work on regaining her memories with me so close to her,” he admitted. “It was distracting her too much.”

Tolla’s chuckle returned with a vengeance though he tried to stifle it in order to keep from interrupting the wizard as he worked. Richard turned an angry eye on his newfound friend, annoyed by his amusement at his expense.

“What’s so funny?” Richard demanded to know.

“You and Kahlan, Seeker Richard,” Tolla told him as he leaned his back against the same tree. “You remind me so much of me and Caref after we were bound as one. We couldn’t get keep our hands off of each other for weeks. Everyone grew tired of being around us for a while there…at least after we finally decided that we should leave our hut before everyone forgot what we looked like.”

Richard’s anger began to fade as the Tolla spoke, the warm thrum of love filling his veins once more as he watched Kahlan. “So does this feeling of exhilaration ever fade?”

A wide grin formed on the Tolla’s face, a contented sigh escaping his lips. “Oh no, my friend,” he said. “True love never fades. It only grows stronger, but life does have a way of making sure it doesn’t totally consume you. Responsibilities and children will soon take some of the time you now share, but it makes it no less marvelous.”

“I want to marry her so badly it hurts,” Richard confessed, disappointment lacing his voice.

“Why not get married here?” Tolla asked. “We could put on a wonderful bonding party for the two of you.”

“I’d love that more than anything, but I’m afraid I’m pushing Kahlan too much,” he told him. “She’s been through so much lately. On top of that, she doesn’t remember anything about her life let alone me. It’s not fair to her to push her into suddenly becoming a wife when she doesn’t even remember being Kahlan or the Mother Confessor.”

Tolla thoughtfully pondered his words for a long moment as he poked at the dirt at his feet with the end of his staff. “That is a very noble sacrifice to make, Seeker Richard, but how does Kahlan feel about it?”

“She’s feeling very lost and uncertain though she tries to hide it from me,” he said. “She’s trying to put up a strong front, but I can tell that she’s scared.”

Tolla turned his head to study the Seeker, his brow furrowing in thought. “There’s something more that’s holding you back.”

Richard drew a ragged breath, his jaw growing tense as the sick dread that had been swimming in the pit of his stomach since the prophecy had been revealed returned with a vengeance. “There was a prophecy that was revealed about Kahlan and me when we found the Stone of Tears. It basically says that if I pursue my heart’s deepest desire I will lose it forever to a path already travelled.”

“Confessor Kahlan is obviously your deepest desire,” Tolla thoughtfully murmured as he tried to untangle the meaning. “You are scared that if you marry her, you’ll lose her forever.”

Richard’s throat constricted painfully with the Tolla’s words, forcing him to slowly nod his head in acknowledgment. It was too difficult to try to form a coherent response, too afraid his voice would fail him or the fears that he felt would break through the damn that he’d erected to hold them in.

A reassuring hand on his shoulder caused him to relax, but only minutely. “Seeker Richard, I’m so very saddened by this news,” Tolla said, his face solemn. “If there is anything that I or the Aku can do to help you and Kahlan become bonded as one, you know that we will.”

“Thank you for that, Tolla,” Richard softly replied as he gaze returned to his lover. “That means a lot.”

Zedd began to chant softly to himself, a jumble of indecipherable words that Kahlan couldn’t begin to understand. Time seemed to slow to a standstill the longer he worked, her mind swimming and her body feeling heavy. A subtle wave of pain began to build and settle in her head, causing her to squeeze her eyes tighter closed.

Kahlan fought to stay focused on what Zedd was trying to do for her, wanting so desperately to recover what had been stolen from her. Her hands moved from her lap to grasp her legs, her finger clutching her knees. Her heart began to beat a little harder, sudden dizziness beginning to make her stomach churn.

Thoughts and feeling began to swirl inside of her mind as Zedd probed deeper, causing her to tighten her grasp on her knees. She winced as the pain began to expand, the pressure in her head building. Tears began to form behind her closed eyes as she struggled so hard to grasp hold of the thousands of fractured memories and events that flew through her mind at a rapid speed that was making her more nauseated by the moment.

Her lips parted slightly as her breathing became more ragged. She felt her entire body grow tense as the dizziness intensified. It felt as if she was spinning out of control, taking her stomach with it. The pain suddenly became blinding, her hands finding her head and clutching it tightly in an attempt to keep it from exploding.

“Stop! Please, stop!” she cried. “Please, Zedd! Stop!”

Kahlan bolted to her feet, running towards a tree as Richard raced towards her. She bent over, violently vomiting her lunch into the brush as she sunk to her knees. A sudden hand on her back, another holding her hair back told her she was no longer alone.

“It’s alright, Kahlan,” Richard murmured, rubbing her back as she vomited again.

She trembled all over as she sank back on her heels, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Richard handed her a water skein, allowing her a chance to clean her mouth and hands. He looked back over his shoulder at Zedd, finding a troubled expression on his grandfather’s face. It did nothing to settle his own panic over what was happening to his Confessor.

Kahlan felt unexpected exhaustion rise up within her out of nowhere, making it more than difficult to keep her eyes open as she handed the water skein back to Richard. She rubbed her temples, trying to remove the throbbing pain that still lingered there.

Richard wrapped his arm around her shoulders, helping her up to her feet. He kept a tight hold on her as he helped her back to where Zedd and Tolla were standing. “I’m sorry, Kahlan,” Zedd apologized. “Are you alright, my dear?”

Kahlan numbly nodded her head, fighting to keep her eyes open. “Just very tired right now.”

“Come, let’s get you back to the Spirit House so you can rest for a while before dinner,” Richard suggested, wanting desperately to talk to Zedd to find out what he had discovered and what had caused Kahlan to react the way that she had.

“What happened to Confessor Kahlan?” Tolla asked as they watched the Seeker and Confessor walk away.

“She had an adverse reaction of some kind either to the magic or from her memories trying to return,” Zedd muttered under his breath, his brow knitted together in thought.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that things just became very complicated,” Zedd admitted with a shake of his head. 

XXX

Richard stood by the door of the Spirit House, watching Kahlan as she slept. He needed to go see Zedd about what had happened to her and yet he didn’t want to leave her side. Something had happened to her when Zedd had tried to recover her lost memories and he needed to find out why.

Stepping out into the bright afternoon sunlight, Richard spotted Cara coming towards him, a very worried expression on her face. “What happened?” she demanded to know. “Is she alright?”

“Zedd was using his magic to search Kahlan’s mind for her memories,” Richard explained. “She got sick for some reason, but she’s sleeping now. I’m going to go talk to Zedd. Can you stay with her in case she needs anything?”

“It’s not like I have anything else to do around here,” Cara sullenly replied with a frown.

“Cara, please,” Richard snapped. “I know you want to leave, but we have bigger problems right now than Demos. Something is still wrong with Kahlan.”

“Obviously,” Cara shot back in exasperation. “She looks at me as if I’m going to eat her for dinner or something.”

“She’s scared, Cara,” Richard heatedly stated, his frustration brewing just beneath the surface seeking release. “I’m the only one she really remembers and even that is nothing more than a handful of fractured memories that she can’t piece together.”

“Go talk to Zedd,” Cara told him. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“Thanks, Cara,” he muttered, his shoulders sagging slightly with relief as he turned to leave.

“Richard,” Cara softly called to him. “It’ll be alright. Kahlan is strong. She’ll get through this.”

“I hope so,” he murmured as he walked away.

Zedd and Tolla entered the village from the far side, the wizard’s expression bewildered. It only caused Richard’s own fear to soar, wondering what exactly he’d found. “Zedd!” he called. “What happened to Kahlan?”

Zedd drew a weary breath, unsure where to begin. “I’m not exactly certain, but it seems that the spell that Demos had placed on Kahlan before was actually a multi-layered spell.”

“What’s a multi-layered spell?” the Seeker asked, his heart beginning to pound a little harder with the dread that was steadily building inside of him.

“There was the initial spell that took over Kahlan’s mind,” Zedd explained. “She was somehow able to break the hold that spell had on her, no doubt through her love for you. When that spell was broken, it triggered another spell that wiped out her memories.”

“So there was a spell hidden within a spell,” Richard said, trying to process all of this.

“Yes, but when I probed her mind, I discovered a third spell hidden inside of the second spell,” Zedd replied with a scowl. 

Richard visibly blanched with the revelation, what little hope that had still been reflected in his eyes now gone. “What kind of spell?” he asked in a semi-whisper, his voice suddenly hoarse.

“It tries to counter any attempts to retrieve her memories that involves magic,” Zedd informed him, his own anger visible in his eyes. “It’s what caused her to become so violently ill when I tried to unlock her mind.”

“This can’t be happening,” Richard muttered, raking his fingers back through his hair. He’d had such high hopes that his grandfather would be able to get them back for her. Now they might be truly lost forever. “So I guess that’s it. There’s nothing more we can do for her?”

“Wee, there is some good news in the middle of this thorny mess,” Zedd told him. “Her memories are there. They’re just locked away where she can’t quite get to them.”

“At least they haven’t been permanently erased,” Richard murmured, the small spark of hope that had been extinguished suddenly flickering back to life.

“Why don’t we talk to Odo?” Toll suggested. “Maybe he can give Confessor Kahlan something for the pain and nausea so Zedd can unlock her memories for her.”

Zedd thought for a long moment, rubbing his chin as he considered Tolla’s suggestion. “It’s certainly worth a shot,” he decided. “We’d have to let Kahlan decide if she wants to go through it again, though.”

“I’ll talk to her when she wakes up,” Richard agreed. “I can’t blame her if she decides not to go through it again.”

“She was in quite a bit of pain,” Zedd admitted. “It was even beginning to affect me. This is a pretty nasty spell we’re dealing with. I was surprised she was able to hold on for as long as did before she suddenly got too sick to handle it any longer.”

“I could tell she was fighting to hold on for as long as possible,” Richard confessed.

Zedd placed a hand on Richard’s shoulder, his expression still grim. “There’s more that you should know, Richard.”

Fear flashed through Richard’s chestnut brown eyes as he braced himself for the worse. “What is it?”

“By trying to resurrect her memories, we could end up causing Kahlan more pain than just physical,” he informed him. “We will be forcing her to relive many painful events that she’s endured throughout her life, resurrecting some dreadful memories that she’ll have little time to really process it all. Once the damn is finally broken, they could start coming one right after another like an overwhelming flood. There’s no telling how she’ll handle it or if she’ll even be able to.”

Richard thought through the things that Zedd had just told him. It was going to be a painful gamble; one that he hoped would be for her best in the end. Ultimately, it would have to be her decision if she chose to continue down this path.

“What do you think we should do?” Richard finally asked, his voice broken like his heart.

“We should warn Kahlan about the risks and let her decide for herself,” Zedd decided. “This could go either way, Richard. It could either overwhelm her, breaking her mind or she’ll come through this with her memories and her mind intact.”

“Tolla!”

All three men turned to find Temin coming towards them, a panicked expression on his tanned face. “What is it?” Tolla demanded.

“Several D’Haran soldiers were spotted coming this way from the northeast,” he informed them.

“How many?”

“At least twelve…maybe more.”

“Gather the warriors,” Tolla ordered. “I want half to stay back to protect the village, the rest are to come with us.”

“I’m coming too,” Richard announced, his hand already falling to the hilt of his sword, checking to make sure it was clear in his scabbard.

“Richard, they can’t know that you’re here,” Zedd reminded him. “If one of them escapes and gets back to the People’s Palace, Demos will know where you and Kahlan are.”

“Then we’ll just have to make sure that we don’t leave anyone alive to tell them, right Seeker Richard?” Tolla said with a grin, slapping the Seeker on the back. “Let’s go.”

“Can you please stay with Kahlan?” Richard asked Zedd. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful,” Zedd grumbled, not liking this one bit. “We can’t afford to have you out of commission too.”

Richard responded with a forced smile in an attempt to reassure his grandfather. “Don’t worry, Zedd. I’ll be back before you know it.”

XXX

The Seeker swung his sword with deadly precision, a growl of righteous rage passing through his lips. He breathed hard as he glared down at the dead body lying motionless at his feet, his mind still storming with fury and his heart racing with a desperate need for vengeance.

He wanted to go to the People’s Palace right now, to end his brother Demos once and for all. Every time he thought that he finally had gotten Kahlan back, he discovered that Demos had done something more to take Kahlan away from him.

He was seething inside with the way his brother had wormed his way into his life, trying to break him and Kahlan. He wanted his brother’s blood to coat his sword, to know that Kahlan would finally be safe forever, but he couldn’t leave. Not now. Kahlan needed him right now and that was far more important than getting revenge on his brother for what he had done to her.

Demos could wait for a little longer, Kahlan could not.

“Richard! Behind you!” Tolla yelled.

Richard spun on his heel, thrusting his sword through the D’Haran soldier who had snuck up on him from behind. He quickly moved on to another one, more than angry with himself for allowing his thoughts to wander instead of focusing on the battle at hand. It had been a foolish mistake.

The dozen or so soldiers that Temin had spotted had turned out to be closer to two dozen, the rest of the patrolling party pouring out of the woods when they discovered their comrades under siege by the Aku warriors.

Breathing heavily, Richard looked around at all the dead D’Haran soldiers scattered on the ground, thankful that none of the Aku were among them. Wiping the blood from his blade, he sheathed his sword. He was more than anxious to get back to Kahlan to see how she was doing. Looking to the sky, he was surprised to find the sun already sinking behind the trees, evening approaching.

“Seeker Richard, you’re bleeding,” Tolla noted with a frown as he pointed at Richard’s shoulder.

Richard looked at his right shoulder to find a large tear in his shirt, blood oozing from a deep gash. “One of the soldiers got a lucky shot in,” he replied. “It’s not bad.”

“Odo can look at it for you,” Tolla suggested.

“Zedd can heal it in no time,” Richard reassured him. “Let’s get back to the village. It’s later than I had thought.”

Tolla grinned widely in understanding. “You just miss your Confessor Kahlan,” he teased him. “We will need to build a new Spirit House after you two leave.”

Richard couldn’t hide his own grin that suddenly lit his face with the reminder of the erotic passion that had been shared between him and Kahlan in the Spirit House. He was more than anxious to get back to her, to check on her and to make sure she was alright. He hated being away from her any longer than necessary, but it had felt good to unleash some of his anger on Demos’s men.

“I’ll just be happy once I know that she’s going to be alright,” Richard admitted as they began to make their way back to the village.

“I’m sure Confessor Kahlan will be fine,” Tolla attempted to reassure him. “You and Kahlan are meant to be together like two parts of the same soul. Nothing can break that.”

“I hope you’re right,” Richard sighed heavily.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 4

Darken Rahl stood staring out over the vast expanse of the Underworld, suffering and groaning and writhing as far as the eye could possibly see and far beyond even that. It both pleased and infuriated him at the same time.

He wanted out of this nightmare, wanted back into the world of the living where he belonged. He wanted his throne back no matter what it took to get it. He didn’t deserve to be punished like this, forced to watch as his twin brother ruled his territory in his place.

He still had great plans that he wanted to accomplish – plans that included destroying Richard, taking over Westland and the Midlands, becoming the ultimate ruler where everyone would bow down at the name of Darken Rahl.

He clasped his hands behind his back, seething that down here in the Underworld he was the Keeper’s minion, doing his bidding and yet he knew it was better than the alternative, to be cast down there with commoners enduring unbelievable pain and suffering for all eternity.

No matter, though. He had a plan to get himself out of here, one that he could afford to bide his time as it played itself out.

The key to his plans lay in the hands of Death’s Mistress, Sister Nicci. If the Sisters of the Dark hadn’t been able to capture her and perform the ritual that forced her back into the Keeper’s service, he knew that his fate would’ve been sealed, his place in the Underworld permanent with no hope of escape.

Sister Nicci was one of the few magical beings powerful enough to perform the ritual that would save him from this horror. He needed her if he wanted to get back to his life. He didn’t know how much longer he could stand watching Demos living the life that he should be living.

He was the one who had obtained all the power and wealth. He was the one who had held D’Hara in the palm of his hand, the one who had built the Mord’Sith into what they were today. He was the one who should be enjoying the fruits of his labors, not Demos.

The corners of his lips suddenly curled with the thought of taking care of both of his brothers once he escaped from this hell. His pleasurable thoughts were abruptly cut short by the deep rumbling summons of the Keeper’s voice.

Darken turned, falling on bended knee as he bowed his head in forced reverence. “I am here, my lord,” he replied.

A dark shadow fell across his prostrate form, hovering over him as the Keeper drew near. “Are you certain that your plan will work?”

Darken dared to glance up through his eyelashes as he responded, “It must, my lord. Sister Nicci will not fail us.”

“She has broken free from my hold on her before,” the Keeper reminded him. “I do not want to lose her again.”

“The ritual should have taken care of that,” Darken attempted to reassure him. “She should fully be yours to command again now.”

“This plan of yours had better work,” the Keeper growled. “I want Richard Rahl. Because of him, my hope of escaping this prison is forever gone now. I plan on making him pay dearly for all eternity.”

“And you shall have him, my lord,” he promised. “You will have Richard Rahl and I will have my brother.”

“And what about Kahlan Amnell?” the Keeper demanded to know. “The Mother Confessor must not escape punishment for her involvement in this.”

A dark smile spread across Darken Rahl’s face as he thought about the beautiful Mother Confessor. “No need to worry, my lord,” he told him. “She too will enjoy her own private hell…I assure you of that.”

XXX

Richard entered the Spirit House, somewhat surprised to find Kahlan still asleep. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful as she slept...his Kahlan. Even if she never remembered her past or how they fell in love, she’d always be his Kahlan. Nothing could ever change that.

The crackling of the small fire in the middle of the large hut was the only sound as he watched her for a moment, the only source of light as the sun began to set. It cast a soft ethereal glow upon her perfect features, making his heart skip a beat.

He silently made his way to her, kneeling down beside her. His hand settled in her hair, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. “Kahlan,” he softly called to her, hating to wake her up but he needed to talk to her, make sure she was alright. “Kahlan, it’s time to wake up.”

Her eyelids fluttered open to find her handsome Seeker beside her, his gentle brown eyes focused on her. “Richard?” she murmured, feeling a little confused as awareness began to replace unconsciousness. 

Her mind felt so muddled, her head still pounding fiercely. Her forehead creased as she fought to clear the hazy fog that still clouded her thoughts, trying to remember what had happened and how she had gotten here. She looked around finding herself in the Spirit House, her gaze finally settling back again on her Seeker.

“What happened?” she asked him as she slowly sat up, the blanket he’d covered her with earlier slipping from her body.

Richard settled himself on the bedroll before her, his eyes swimming with renewed worry. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Kahlan rubbed her face with her hands in an effort to banish the lingering fatigue as well as the headache that refused to leave before finally responding. “I remember Zedd… he was using his magic to find my memories,” she replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she thought back over the afternoon. “My head started hurting so badly I could hardly stand it and then…I don’t know after that. The next thing I knew, you were here waking me up. What happened to me?”

“I’m afraid you got really sick,” he informed her. “I brought you back here to rest for a while. Are you feeling any better?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she muttered, trying to remember what had happened before coming to the Spirit House. She remembered suddenly getting sick by that tree, the blinding pain in her head and then after that…nothing.

Richard studied her for a long moment, not convinced in the least by her response. “You do remember I told you before that you’re a terrible liar, right?” he reminded her, a crooked smile on his face as he tried to ease her worry and lighten the mood a little. His own worry wouldn’t settle, however, until she was Kahlan again and Demos was in the Underworld with their brother.

She forced a smile, one that never reached her sapphire eyes still filled with bewilderment. “It’s just a headache. It’s not that bad,” she attempted to reassure him. Unfortunately, she didn’t sound very convincing even to herself. “Was Zedd able to figure anything out?”

Richard took Kahlan’s hand in his, trying to find the words to tell her what his grandfather had discovered. “It turns out its going to be harder to get your memories back than what we had originally thought.”

“Why?” she asked, her voice rising with her growing panic. “What is it, Richard? What did Demos do to me?”

“The original spell to gain control of your mind contained counter spells within it,” he explained. “There’s another hidden spell that is keeping your memories locked inside of your mind. When Zedd tried to recover them, it caused you to get violently ill.”

Her throat suddenly filled with a painful knot of angry tears, but she did her best to banish them as she braced herself for the worse. “This is going to happen every time he tries to retrieve them, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so, Kahlan,” he admitted, his heart breaking even further with the anguish that permeated her eyes. “Tolla suggested that Odo give you something for the pain and nausea to see if it helps while Zedd tries to access your memories again, but you don’t have to do it unless you really want to. You don’t have to put yourself through that again, Kahlan. We can try to find another way to get them back for you.

“You were able to remember a few things on your own since you lost your memory. Maybe with time, things will continue to improve on their own.”

Kahlan averted her eyes as she tried to deal with this new revelation. She felt her anger burning hotly inside of her, furious over Demos’s incessant interference in their lives, his constant efforts to control her. All she wanted was to regain her memories and marry Richard, to build a life with him and to have his child. 

Now, that was becoming more than just a wishful dream.

“No, I want to try again,” she insisted with a determined shake of her head as she stood to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself as if physically trying to hold herself together. “I have to try again. I want to remember my life, Richard…I want to remember you. I know in my heart that I love you with everything that I am, but I want to remember why. I’ll do whatever it takes to get that back.”

“Kahlan,” Richard whispered her name, overcome with love for her.

He closed the distance between them, his lips finding hers in a slow deep kiss. Her lips parted, allowing him to fully taste her as her hands found his hair. He always seemed to sooth her soul and calm her fears like nothing else could. He created a fierce fire deep within her core, awakening a primal need that only he could satisfy.

Breaking the kiss, she released a long slow breath, trying to rein in the flaming desire that he had ignited with that kiss. “What was that for?” she breathlessly murmured, pressing her forehead against his cheekbone and savoring his closeness.

Richard tilted his head, brushing his lips against her jaw. “Because I love you more than anything in this world,” he softly told her as he nuzzled her face, his heart beating a little harder. Her nearness, her kisses were beyond intoxicating. He couldn’t get enough of her. “And I want you so badly right now.”

His special smile suddenly graced her face as she pulled back a little, her finger lightly tracing his lips that she loved to kiss. “Then why don’t you do something about it, Seeker?” she seductively inquired.

The feel of her finger softly outlining his lips was making him tingle all over, his desire growing hotter as his self-control quickly began to fade away to nothing. He knew they should wait until later tonight especially since the Aku were planning a special feast for tonight because the Keeper had been defeated.

At the same time, he found it near impossible to pull himself away from her, to take his eyes off of her. Her scent was like sweet ambrosia to his soul making him lightheaded with a need so fierce it could not be denied no matter how hard he tried.

“They’re preparing a feast in our honor tonight,” he told her, his voice husky and rough with desire.

His lips softly caressed the tip of her finger before taking it inside of his mouth, his warm tongue swirling around the digit and sucking gently. He watched as her blue eyes widened, a soft gasp escaping as she watched him release her finger only to lightly blow across it.

“I’m sure they won’t mind if we’re a little late,” she said, completely captivated by him.

“Kahlan, if I start this, I’m not going to be able to stop any time soon,” he replied, doing his best to tamp down on the arousal pumping through his veins at that moment. “I can never get enough of you.”

She smiled softly in response, her hand moving to cup his cheek. “I feel the same way.”

“As soon as the feast is over, I will bring you back here and make love to you until neither one of us can move anymore,” he promised her with a grin.

“I’d love that,” she murmured, wanting more than anything to forget the heartache that was consuming her life right now if only for a little while.

She pressed her lips to his, kissing him deeply and desperately hoping to change his mind as her arms moved to circle around his neck. She pressed her body against him as well, feeling the evidence of his arousal against her belly. She smiled to herself, loving the affect that she had on him and knowing that he had just as powerful of an effect on her too.

Richard quickly lost himself to the building passion her kisses always provoked in him. He tilted his head, taking her bottom lip between his teeth and nipping lightly on it before sucking on it. She moaned with the pleasure that shot through her as he buried his hands in her hair, holding her right where he wanted her.

He finally retreated for much needed air, his forehead coming to rest against hers. “Kahlan…we can’t,” he weakly insisted, unconvincingly. “You still have a headache and they’re expecting us to…”

Kahlan kissed him again, effectively silencing him as her tongue slid inside his mouth, tangling with his and battling him for control. Her hand went to work on his breeches, anxious to bring him pleasure and forget the painful ache that sat in her chest reminding her of what had been stolen from her.

“Kahlan…” he gasped as he broke the kiss, struggling to regain control as her hand slipped inside the top of his breeches. Her touch set him on fire, his arousal becoming even harder as she tenderly began to stroke him. 

He reluctantly pulled her hand from her hold on him, taking it his and bringing it to his lips. He kissed her fingers before moving to the palm of her hand. “I would love nothing more than to let you continue, but if we don’t leave soon, they’re going to come after us and I definitely don’t want to be interrupted once I have you to myself.”

Kahlan sighed in disinclined acceptance. She wished more than anything she could stay here alone with him instead of being forced to socialize with a bunch of people she had no memory of. “Fine, but it’s your loss.”

A mischeivious grin spread across his handsome face as he lost himself in her impossibly blue eyes that he could easily drown himself in. “You can do whatever you want to do to me later tonight after the feast.”

“Do you promise?” she asked.

“As long as I get to do whatever I want to do to you as well,” he teased with a grin as he refastened his breeches before kissing her again.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted the intimate moment, Cara’s voice cutting through the passionate haze that still permeated the Spirit House. “Alright you two,” she called through the door. “If you can pull yourselves away from each other for a little while, the feast is about to begin.”

“We’ll be there in a minute, Cara,” Richard called. He swore she had an internal monitor that told her whenever they were alone together.

“You better or I won’t hesitate to come in there after you with my agiel,” she threatened.

Richard just shook his head in amusement, kissing the tip of Kahlan’s nose. “We better go or we’ll never get rid of her.”

“Fine,” she reluctantly agreed as he began to lead her out.

XXX

Sitting next to Tolla, Richard could hardly believe the feast that they had prepared in their honor. He was overwhelmed by the amount of food they had made, the gratitude that they displayed. Every single Aku had come to them, wishing them well and thanking them for saving them from the Keeper.

Though they hadn’t known the extent of what had been going on in the world outside of their hidden village, the numerous rifts that had erupted throughout the valley over the last year had told them that something terribly wrong was happening.

Glancing at his grandfather, Richard could barely contain the laughter that filled his throat as he watched him. Zedd couldn’t eat fast enough, shoveling food in and filling his plate again before it was even empty as he talked to Tolla.

On the other side of him, Cara was reluctantly engaged in a conversation with Caref. Though she tried her best to hide it, it was obvious that Cara was actually enjoying herself. There was a measure of contentment in her green eyes that had been missing the last few months. 

It made him happy to see her relaxing and letting go of the constant need to protect them or worry about them if only for a little while. She was always on guard, ready to defend them with her very life if necessary. Although he appreciated it more than she could possibly know, it made him feel good to see her enjoying life a little.

He turned his attention to the woman sitting next to him, the one who had stolen his heart. He was completely enthralled with how beautiful she looked, how graceful her every movement was. Even though she might not remember who she was, he could still see his Kahlan in everything she did; locked deep inside in a place that he hoped more than anything that he could touch for her.

He watched as her brow suddenly furrowed as she took a bite, her eyes growing distant as if she was being drawn away from him. “What is it, Kahlan?”

“I’m not sure,” she murmured. “Those two children seem familiar to me for some reason, but I don’t know why.”

He followed her gaze, his eyes falling on Tolla and Caref’s children who were sitting with their grandmother eating. He smile pulled at his lips as he watched them laugh at something Temin had done. It suddenly made him long to have a child of his own, one that he had made with Kahlan.

“That’s Tolla and Caref’s children,” he told her. “You and I saved them when their hut caught on fire.”

Kahlan thoughtfully watched them for a long moment, her lips curling slightly as her blue eyes danced with amusement. They were so adorable. She couldn’t help but think of having a child with Richard someday, feeling the little life that they had created together as it grew inside of her.

Her eyes grew moist with unwanted tears again as she lost herself in her wishful thoughts that quickly turned to dread. A sudden hand on hers pulled her back away from them again. She turned to find herself looking into the concerned eyes of her Seeker.

“What’s wrong?” he softly asked.

“Just thinking,” she just as softly replied, afraid to test her voice.

“Kahlan, we will get married and we will have as many children as you want to have,” he told her. “I promise you we will have the life that we want.”

She pulled her hand free as she turned her attention back to the children. “How do we know that Demos won’t just take it all away? He’s tried to destroy everything else that we have including my mind.”

“I won’t let him,” Richard firmly stated, the heat filling his voice capturing her attention again.

“I feel like I’m letting you down,” she admitted, looking down at her plate. 

“In what way?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“I know how badly you want to get married right now and I want that too, but it’s because of me that we can’t. It’s my fault, Richard.”

“It is definitely not your fault,” he insisted, shifting to face her. “And you are not letting me down in anyway, Kahlan.”

“Confessor Kahlan!”

Kahlan and Richard turned to find Caref coming to stand before them, a mischeivious glint in her dark eyes. “What is it?” the Seeker inquired.

“Confessor Kahlan must come dance with us again!” she cried in delight, reaching out to take Kahlan’s hand.

“Do what?” Kahlan exclaimed, more than a little confused as Caref pulled her up onto her feet. She quickly looked to Richard for help, desperation filling her eyes.

“I’m afraid she’s not feeling well yet,” Richard tried to save her, keeping a firm hold on her other hand.

“Nonsense,” Caref countered with a determined shake of her head. “You look like you need to have some fun.”

“But I…” Kahlan began, her hand slipping free from Richard’s as Caref dragged her away.

Richard felt torn between letting her go and saving her from Caref. A sudden hand on his shoulder kept him where he was seated. “Let her go, Seeker Richard,” Tolla encouraged him. “You worry far too much. A little dance won’t hurt her. It might even help her remember.”

“Do you think so?” he asked, hope lacing his voice.

“Maybe,” Tolla told him, a knowing smile on his tanned face. “At least that’s what we’re hoping for.”

“You and Caref planned all of this to try to trigger Kahlan’s memories, didn’t you?”

“You could say that if you want,” Tolla said with a nod of his head, his attention now captured by his wife who was beginning to dance before him.

Richard began to relax a little as he too watched as the dance began, his awareness completely focused on the breathtaking Mother Confessor who was swaying her hips in front of him now. She appeared to be completely bewildered at the moment, but was beginning to relax a little the longer Caref helped position her arms and body to perform the graceful movements of the dance.

He studied her every move with utmost fascination, completely captivated by her. He wanted to go to her, to scoop her up in his arms and take her back to the Spirit House where he could touch her as he fantasized about right now, kissing every single inch of her.

He couldn’t help but smile as she began to relax a little, allowing her body to feel the beat of the music coming from the tribal drums. A genuine smile slowly lit her face, making her eyes sparkle brightly in the firelight. Laughter that was like a song tuned to his heart escaped her lips as she nearly tripped, bumping into Caref who joined in her amusement.

He was stunned when Caref suddenly leaned forward and grabbed hold of Cara’s hand, pulling her into the dance against her will. The Mord’Sith scowled as she was positioned on Caref’s left with Kahlan still on the Aku woman’s right so she could guide both women through the moves of the dance.

Zedd’s laughter caught Richard’s attention, forcing him to take his eyes off of Kahlan for a brief moment. His grandfather was very amused by the Mord’Sith’s resistance and reluctant acceptance of her fate. “Come on, Cara!” Zedd yelled out. “Show us what you can do!”

Richard inwardly grimaced with his grandfather’s taunting words. He had no idea that the dance was going to turn into an erotic dance of seduction soon. The reminder made his groin twitch in anxious anticipation of where the night would soon lead. He’d never seen anything so beautiful or sensual as Kahlan performing that dance for him.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away as the dance gradually turned from fun and festive to slow and sensual. His heart began to race as his darkening gaze raked over her perfect form, the perfect curve of her hips. His lips parted slightly to allow deeper breaths as she dipped and turned, bending over and running her hands up the length of her leg before stopping along the hem of her blue dress.

His throat suddenly went dry as her fingers lightly stroked her thighs before moving up her body. It was as if everyone there at the feast had suddenly vanished around them leaving only her and him and the sexual tension that radiated between them electrifying the air.

He felt himself growing painfully harder, the provocative swing of her hips as well as the smile on her lips driving him completely wild. He was so focused on her, he completely missed Cara escaping the dance and returning to her seat with Zedd or the fact that Caref had already seduced her husband into returning to their hut.

Cara leaned over to Zedd who was more interested in filling his plate again than anything else going on around him at that moment. “I swear those two are about to burst into flames,” she said with a scowl.

Zedd chuckled softly as he watched Richard stand to his feet, offering his hand to Kahlan. “I think it’s lovely,” he replied. “I’ve never seen two people more in love in all my years. I’m more than happy for them.”

“I think they need to be thrown in a cold river,” Cara huffed, folding her arms over her chest as Odo joined them.

“My friends!” Odo greeted them, setting his plate down in front of him. “I thought I’d entertain you since Tolla and Seeker Richard have left you all alone to see to their women.”

“We’d welcome the company, Odo,” Zedd happily told him.

“I’m going to check the perimeter before going to bed,” Cara announced, getting to her feet and stalking off into the night.

“Does she always have such a happy outlook?” Odo asked, amused.

“Oh, she’s fine,” Zedd reassured him. “She’s just getting restless. She doesn’t like being stuck in one place for long when there’s trouble still lurking about.”

“She has no need to worry,” Odo said. “We take good care of our friends.”

“Yes, indeed you do,” Zedd heartily agreed. “Now, let’s talk about what we can do for our dear Kahlan’s predicament.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 5

Cara wandered the forest, the only light coming from the bright moonlight overhead. She kept her agiels gripped tightly in her hands, ready for anything that might be seen as a threat to the Seeker and Mother Confessor.

Even though she was loathe admitting it verbally, she was actually more than happy for her friends and the life that they were now able to build together. She always knew that they would find a way to be together and they had. Now, she just needed to ensure that they had the chance for the future they deserved.

Releasing a frustrated sigh, the Mord’Sith paused to lean against the trunk of a tree, her gaze settling on the orange glow of the fires still burning in the Aku village in the distance. While she knew that they deserved this chance to rest and just enjoy being alive, she also knew that they needed to leave as soon as possible, to get to Aydindril where the army could help protect them.

Not to mention there was the little problem with Kahlan’s lack of memories. They needed to get to the Wizard’s Keep where Zedd might be able to find something that could help her. She had to acknowledge the ache that flitted through her heart every time that Kahlan looked at her with fear in her eyes, backing slightly away or inching closer to Richard.

She had no idea that it would bother her this much. She and Kahlan had grown to be friends over the last several months despite the hostility and mistrust that had overshadowed everything in the beginning. 

Cara knew that she hadn’t deserved the Mother Confessor’s forgiveness or friendship especially after discovering that she had taken Kahlan’s sister and nephew’s lives. It was something that she didn’t take for granted, knowing that Kahlan had had ever right to take her life as payment for her sins.

The sound of a twig snapping quickly tore her from her thoughts, forcing her back to her surroundings and the patrol that she had started. She stayed close to the trunk of the tree, using it to help shadow her as she waited.

Whoever it was, they didn’t seem to be trying to mask their presence in the least as another twig snapped, brush rustling softly as it moved through the dense forest. She shifted her position, crouching low as she watched the darkness for who it could be.

The moonlight caught the metal tip of a spear, causing it to glisten in the dark. Cara immediately straightened up, moving away from the tree and allowing her presence to be known. “Identify yourself,” she demanded.

She watched as the silhouette suddenly froze, raising the spear in his hand. “Who is there?”

Cara immediately frowned as she recognized the voice. “Temin?”

“Mistress Cara?” Temin asked, his voice tentative and suspicious. “What are you doing out here?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Cara replied with a frown as she approached him. “I would’ve thought one of the girls had taken you to her hut after that dance.”

Temin shook his head, his lips curling into a sad smile. “Namie tried, but I turned her down,” he admitted, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

“Why?” Cara asked, her gaze narrowing. “Is she unattractive?”

“What? No,” Temin immediately told her. “No, Namie is very beautiful.”

“Then what is the problem?”

Temin drew a deep breath, adjusting his grip on the handle of his spear as he tried to find the words to describe what he was struggling with. “I…I don’t know,” he softly said, swallowing hard. “I love her, but I do not know if I am the best man for her to bond with.”

Cara reattached her agiels to her waist before folding her arms against her chest. “Why wouldn’t you be the best man for her? Have you done something horrible that would disqualify you?”

Temin began to fidget, his body growing tense with overwhelming guilt as he averted his eyes. “I killed my best friend,” he softly confessed. “I killed Hadi.”

“You did what you had to do,” Cara reassured him. “You saved Tolla’s life. You are a hero, Temin.”

“I know what I did was right, but I still feel so much guilt…like it’s trying to eat me alive inside. I don’t know what to do about it.”

“Would it help if I told you that I knew what you were going through?” she asked.

Temin looked up sharply at her, stunned by her confession. “What are you talking about?” he questioned her. “You are Mord’Sith. How could it upset you to take a life?”

Cara couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips, amused by the Aku warrior’s misconception about Mord’Sith. “Yes, I am Mord’Sith, but I think for myself now. I still have feelings and a heart. Richard saved my life…and Kahlan and Zedd. I am no longer just a mindless slave to the Lord Rahl, but things I did before then were terrible.”

“How so?”

Cara lowered her eyes, ashamed of what she was about to confess to him. “I murdered Kahlan’s sister and nephew.”

Temin’s eyes grew wide in stunned disbelief as he stared at her. “How are you and Confessor Kahlan still friends?”

“It was back when I was serving Lord Darken Rahl,” she attempted to explain. “I didn’t know there was anything more than following orders and obeying the whims of a madman. I was ordered to kill Kahlan’s sister and nephew, to wipe out the rest of the Confessors.”

“And Confessor Kahlan forgave you for this?”

“She not only forgave me, but she saved my life,” Cara admitted, her throat constricting uncomfortably. “I was sentenced to die by confession, but Kahlan overturned the ruling against me. She saved me from death for my actions.”

“That is amazing,” Temin muttered in astonishment. “Does Confessor Kahlan remember this now?”

“No…I don’t think so,” Cara stated, steeling herself against the wave of guilt and apprehension rising inside of her. “I’m hoping that she’ll still be able to find it in herself to forgive me again when she finds out.”

“I’m sure she will, Mistress Cara,” Temin tried to reassure her. “If Confessor Kahlan is full of that much compassion and forgiveness, that won’t change regardless of her memories.”

“I hope so,” Cara murmured, dread swimming in her stomach. “I would hate to cause her more pain.”

“You are a good friend to her,” Temin commented.

“I don’t know about that,” Cara huffed, shaking her head. “The point is I still feel guilty at times for what I did to those Confessors, to Kahlan’s sister and nephew. You need to find a way to come to terms with your guilt and move on. 

“What Hadi did was wrong. He was on a dangerous path of self-destruction. He allowed his anger to control his life and it only lead to death. There was nothing you could have done to change him.”

Temin thought about it for a long moment, contemplating her words. “You are right, Mistress Cara,” he finally agreed. “I just…I miss him.”

“I know how you feel,” she admitted. “There are some of my Sisters that I have lost over the years that I still miss even now.”

“Do you hunt?” Temin suddenly asked, abruptly changing the subject.

“Yes,” Cara replied. “Richard taught me how to hunt with a bow and arrow.”

“Would you like to go hunting with me tomorrow?” Temin offered. “I know of this field where the deer are more than plentiful. We can make it into a contest.”

A small smile formed on Cara’s face as she considered his offer. It was far better than skulking around here waiting for Richard to decide when he wanted to leave for Aydindril. Besides, she didn’t know how much longer she could take watching the way Richard and Kahlan ogled each other with that lovesick look in their eyes.

“You’re on,” she said with a rare smile.

“Good,” Temin nodded. “I can also teach you how to hunt with a spear.”

“And I’ll show you how a Mord’Sith hunts,” she countered.

Temin nodded his head, excitement growing. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Good night, Temin,” she said.

“Good night, Mistress Cara,” Temin responded. “Thank you for talking to me.”

Cara watched as the Aku warrior disappeared into the darkness, suddenly looking forward to tomorrow. She had never thought that she would actually be one to give advice or provide comfort to someone. She shook her head with a scowl, deciding that Richard was definitely rubbing off on her too much.

XXX 

They barely made it back to the Spirit House, pausing several times to kiss and to touch, neither able to keep their hands off of each other. Entering, Richard immediately pulled Kahlan into his arms, kissing her senseless and still hungry for much more.

They fell to their knees on their bedrolls, each barely aware of anything else except for each other. Kahlan trembled slightly as he began to kiss along her collarbone, aching to feel him filling her so full with every bit of himself. 

She was desperate for him to give all of himself to her and her to him, to feel his body repeatedly rubbing against hers and setting her on fire. She tilted her head as his mouth found her throat, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin there. Her fingers threaded into his hair, massaging his scalp as she began to lose herself to his heated assault on her.

Her throat was suddenly dry as he began to kiss behind her ear, sending tiny shockwaves of pleasure trembling through her body. “Richard,” she softly gasped, her hand tugging his shirt free from his breeches. She was dying to touch him, to feel his skin sliding against hers.

Richard moaned as her hand slipped up under his shirt to touch him, her fingernails creating a slow sensual scrape across his hard flesh. He broke the kiss long enough to pull his shirt up over his head, quickly tossing it aside before his lips crashed into hers again.

He swiftly laid her back down on the bedroll, covering her body with his own as he positioned himself between her drawn up legs spread wide and more than ready to accept him inside of her. The kisses grew more frantic as he pressed his chest into hers, more passionate as he ground his hips against hers as he showed her how badly he wanted her. 

He propped himself up above her on his forearms as he kissed his way down her throat to her chest. With one hand, he untied her blue dress, laying her bare before him and leaving him free to take as he pleased. Kahlan arched her back as he kissed and suckled each of her breasts equally, begging him to take more as his one hand slipped down her body to caress her where she wanted him the most.

She bit her bottom lip to stifle the cry of pleasure that lodged in her throat with his attention, her head rolling back as her pulse raced. Fire shot through her veins and erupted from deep within her core, her body humming with the rapidly building pleasure that was desperately searching for release.

The coarse graze of his short whiskers against her fair skin shot shivers up her spine as he kissed the valley between her breasts, rubbing his chin against her and savoring the taste of her as his tongue snuck out to drag across her flesh. 

He quickly reached down to unfasten his breeches, Kahlan reaching down to help push them past his hips. He sat up, removing them as well as his boots before positioning himself above her once more. His hardened member was throbbing painfully now, pleading for attention as he rubbed the tip against her wet center.

Kahlan trembled as he began to kiss his way back up her body, the feel of his tooth pendant slowly dragging along her fevered skin driving her wild as he kissed every place he could possibly reach with his mouth and tongue. He kissed her hard as he loomed over her, larger than life and filled with such strength and passion and love…and it was all hers. 

She gasped at the feel of his hard heat teasing her entrance. Her hips rose in a silent plea for him to finally give her what she had been aching for. “Richard…please…” she breathlessly begged, lifting her head up off of the bedroll to look down her body to watch what he was doing to her. “I want you…inside of me…now.”

Richard grinned down at her as he repeatedly brushed himself against her center, loving the way it caused her body to jerk and tremble in response, her eyelids to flutter in sweet anticipation as her head fell back against the bedroll. She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly causing her breasts to rub up against his muscular chest and setting his body aflame.

Delaying what she wanted most was only torturing himself as well. Unable to bear it a moment longer, he suddenly shifted his hips, thrusting hard and fully sheathing himself deep inside of her. Kahlan cried out with a sharp gasp as she arched her neck, nearly coming undone right then with the sudden fierce intrusion that she had been longing for. 

She gripped his shoulders tightly, her fingernails digging into his flesh as her body bowed with the unbelievable pleasure that spiked through her. Richard’s entire body went rigid with a need to come as her inner walls clamped down hard on him, but he fought it back. He wanted to make this last for as long as he possibly could, wanting to show her just how deeply his love for her ran in hopes she might remember something…anything more about them, about him.

“Kahlan…” he gasped as he pulled his hips back, pressing his forehead against her shoulder, his heart hammering against his breastbone as he fought to remain in control.

Sweat began to trickle down his back as he started to repetitively thrust in and out of her, his tooth pendant swinging back and forth with his forceful movements as he gazed down at her. His hand found her breast, stroking and massaging her soft flesh. His other hand slipped down to her thigh, caressing her smooth skin before gripping her firmly and hooking her leg over his shoulder.

She arched her neck as her mouth fell open with a breathless gasp, crying out in pleasure as he immersed himself even deeper into her wet heat. She swore he couldn’t plunge any deeper inside of her, feeling as though he was tearing her apart at the seams and yet it was the most amazing feeling in the world being with him like this – so passionate and alive and primal in their lust and love.

Tears trickled free from the corners of her eyes against her will as she began to writhe beneath him with the mind-blowing pleasure that shot through her with every single slam of his hips against hers. She loved it when they made love like this – hot and passionate and so very fierce that she thought she’d lose her mind.

Richard pressed his face into the crook of her neck, kissing and nipping as he pounded even harder into her, their bodies rocking frantically with the fierce love they were making. She clawed at his back as she suddenly came, fingernails digging deep, panting breaths trying to suck in as much air as possible.

After a few more punishing thrusts, his body abruptly seized as he came painfully hard, releasing hot spurts of his seed deep within her core. Boneless, he collapsed on top of her, unable to move with the complete rapture that thrummed wildly through his system.

Finally recovering a little, Richard lifted his head enough to begin kissing her softly and finding her face wet with salty tears. He immediately pulled back, his eyes opening in fear. “Kahlan…are you alright? Did I hurt you?”

“No, it was…amazing,” she reassured him, suddenly embarrassed by her tears.

Richard’s hand fell to the delicate curve of her face, concern suddenly mingling with the euphoria still coursing through him. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”

“No…no, I just…I want to remember so badly, remember everything about you,” she replied, her hands reaching up to cradle his face. “It’s my fault we aren’t getting married now like I know you want to. I’ve ruined everything, all your plans for our future.”

“No, Kahlan…no,” he firmly said, leaning down and kissing her again in an effort to allay her fears. “None of this is your fault. It’s all because of my brother Demos and I’m going to make him pay for it. He will not get away with this.”

“I…I’m so scared, Richard,” she softly admitted, averting her eyes as Richard rolled off of her, pulling her up to sit with him. She quickly pulled her legs up, her chin resting on her knees. “I’m scared I’m going to lose you, afraid that I’ll never be able to remember my past…never get my life back or have the future that I want with you.”

“Kahlan, listen to me,” he heatedly said, taking her face in his hands and forcing her to look at him. “I am not going to leave you. I love you more than my own life and I refuse to give up on you. We will be married someday with or without your memories. Demos will not win. I won’t let him beat us.”

Kahlan slowly shook her head, the tears subsiding as she closed her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I guess being scared isn’t very Mother Confessor of me, is it?”

“Being scared has nothing to do with being the Mother Confessor,” he told her. “I’m the Seeker and I get scared too. To be honest…I’m scared right now.”

“What are you scared of?”

“I’m terrified of losing you, failing you,” he confessed, repeatedly stroking her hair. “Nothing means more to me than you, Kahlan.”

“I love you, Richard,” she whispered, kissing him softly.

“I love you too,” he murmured, nuzzling his nose with hers.

Kahlan climbed into his lap, straddling his legs as she settled over him. She ran her hands over his face as if memorizing every single detail all over again, afraid that she might forget. She followed the tender caress of her fingers with her soft lips, the passion of just moments again beginning to flame all over again.

Richard’s eyes fell closed as she began to kiss along his jaw to his ear, sucking and teasing the lobe. A throaty moan filled her ears as his fingers curled around her upper arms, keeping her on his lap right where he wanted her.

He instinctively tilted his head as she slowly tortured his throat, moving her hips over his and creating a sweet friction that was gradually driving him insane. She nuzzled his neck, kissing him softly between gentle erotic bites.

“Richard?” she throatily murmured.

“Hmmm?” he half hummed, half gasped as she continued her teasing assault to on him.

His hands immediately dropped from her arms to her hips, firmly grabbing hold of her as he tried to stop her movements against his groin in order to respond to her with somewhat coherent sentences. She clamped her legs tightly around his hips, locking him in her grasp.

“Where did you get this scar from?” she innocently asked before running her lips over a thin discolored line on his left shoulder.

It was still more than difficult trying to connect his thoughts though he had momentarily halted the grind of her hips on his member. He still had a very naked and highly aroused Kahlan straddling his lap, her breasts pressed up against his bare chest and her warm tongue and lips caressing his moist skin. He could barely remember his own name at that point as lust pounded like a mighty torrent through his veins.

“I…um, I think it was…during a battle with some D’Haran soldiers…last year,” he finally managed to respond, releasing a ragged breath in victory for the accomplishment.

Kahlan began to kiss along his collarbone before beginning a delicious descent over his chest and finding another scar. “And what about this one?”

The sweet inquisitiveness of her voice combined with her sensual touch was making it hard to breathe let alone speak. “I got…Ahhh…” he panted heavily as her teeth raked over his nipple before sucking hard on it.

His hands flew to her hair, tangling in her long silken hair and holding her against his chest as his fingers dug into her scalp. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to last as she gently pushed him back to lay on the bedroll. She quickly settled over him as she continued her meticulous exploration of his body, intent on learning as much about the man who held her heart as possible.

“What was that?” Kahlan melodiously asked, her lips curling with his response to her touch.

“I got that from a bolt fired by a D’Haran soldier,” he breathlessly revealed, his chest heaving with the feel of her hair lightly skirting along his skin as her mouth continued its methodical examination of him.

Her fingers expertly stroked each and every slope and slant of his sculpted muscles, her mouth following and paying homage as she showed him what she truly felt in her heart for him. “And this one here…along your ribs?”

Richard pressed the back of his head in the bedroll as she caressed the scar with her tongue and lips as if apologizing for the pain that he’d received from it. He continued to caress her scalp, losing himself in the erotic pleasure she was creating within him.

“I…I don’t…remember…” he tried to placate her, wanting to be buried deep inside of her instead of answering questions about old wounds.

Kahlan suddenly paused, hovering over him and staring at him intently until his eyes finally opened to find out why she had stopped. “Richard, I’m the one with the memory loss…not you.”

Richard smirked up at her, finding her incredulous expression so adorable, a raven curl falling forward into her face as she leaned over him. “I got it from when I was captured and tortured by Denna,” he admitted, knowing that his answer would raise a whole crop of questions that he didn’t feel like answering at that moment. He only wanted to be with her right now.

Her brow crinkled with panic, her blue eyes swimming with concern. “You…you were tortured?” she softly asked, her voice nearly cracking with emotion. “Where was I? Why didn’t I get to you before you were hurt like that?”

Richard moved his hand to brush the offending lock away, holding the raven curtain of hair back from her face. “Kahlan, you did save me,” he reassured her, his eyes softening and losing a measure of the lust that had just pervaded the dark brown orbs.

Kahlan leaned down and kissed him slowly…deeply, ravishing him again before finally retreating. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you sooner,” she softly said.

“You never have to apologize for anything, Kahlan,” he heatedly told her. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here now. You have saved my life more times than I can possibly count.”

“I wish I could remember,” she admitted.

“I’ll help you remember,” he promised her with a playful smile.

Kahlan couldn’t help but smile his special smile in response. “I guess I’ll just have to continue my exploration then, memorize your body all over again. Maybe I’ll remember something.”

“You do whatever it is you feel you need to do in order to help you remember,” he encouraged her, his gaze darkening once more growing lust.

“Now, I finally get what I want,” she purred.

She smirked as she lowered her head to his chest, never breaking eye contact with him as she began to blaze a circuitous path over his chiseled flesh. She leisurely kissed her way down along his abdomen, a definite destination in mind. Nothing was going to stop her from getting what she wanted this time.

Richard’s hands instantly reached for her hair as she began to tease and stroke him with her mouth, his back arching as pleasure shot like lightning clear through to his core. He bit down on his bottom lip, her mouth so hot and wet and erotic against his skin.

He began to pant heavily, her name a breathless chant on his lips as he bucked his hips in response. He swore on his life that he would finally make her his wife one day and they would be together forever. No one would ever get in the way of that. Not Demos. Not Darken Rahl. Not the Keeper. 

No one.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 6

Kahlan chewed on her bottom lip as she followed Richard into the stillness of the woods that surrounded the Aku village. Despite the warmth of the afternoon sun, she couldn’t help the icy trickle of nervousness that pumped through her veins as she dodged a protruding tree root sticking up out of the ground threatening to trip her up.

She kept her head down, hooking her hair behind her ears, her focus on the forest floor as she allowed her thoughts to wander freely. Apprehension filled her throat making it difficult to breathe as she thought back to what little she could remember from her last experience when Zedd tried to resurrect her memories.

All she could remember was the blinding pain and the wild whirlwind of disjointed images that had flashed through her mind’s eye before getting violently ill. The next thing she knew Richard was with her in the Spirit House waking her up, confusion clouding her thoughts.

The Spirit House.

She felt her cheeks suddenly grow warm, her insides flushing hotly with sweet remembrance of last night spent with him after the feast. They had made love several times last night, exploring one another again and again until finally succumbing to absolute exhaustion, falling asleep curled up in each other’s arms. They had become a tangle of limbs and bodies melded together; not knowing where he ended and she began.

She was definitely sore today because of their vigorous activities, but in a very good way. It had been incredible being with him like that in every way imaginable. She wanted that passion with him always, every day and every night. To wake up next to him, to open her eyes and find him right there with her. To make love with him every night, falling asleep tucked securely in his strong embrace as they basked in the euphoria of the love they had shared.

At this rate, however, that was never going to happen...not with Demos still around.

Kahlan was suddenly jostled from her thoughts when she plowed straight into her Seeker’s back when he came to an abrupt stop, nearly knocking them both to the ground. Richard immediately spun around, grabbing hold of her to steady her, amusement in his chocolate brown eyes.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Sorry,” she sheepishly muttered. “I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

“I guess we did wear each other out last night,” he said with a smirk playing on his lips.

“I guess we did,” she shyly agreed, averting her eyes under his scrutinizing gaze.

“Kahlan, you don’t have to try this again if you don’t want to,” he pointed out. “No one would think less of you for not wanting to go through with it.”

Kahlan’s lips formed into a thin determined line as she momentarily considered returning back to the village, but she knew in her heart that she had to do this no matter what. “No,” she firmly stated, raising her chin in determination. “I want to do this…need to…for you.”

Richard frowned with her words, his brow furrowing as he took hold of her upper arms. “Kahlan, I don’t want you to do this for me,” he adamantly told her, his voice rising. “You do this for you and no one else.”

Confusion flooded her sapphire eyes as she stared at him. “Don’t you want me to get my memories back so we can get married?”

“Yes, of course you know I want you to, but I don’t want you to do it just because of me.”

“I’m doing this for us, Richard,” she replied. “I want to be the Kahlan that you fell in love with.”

“You already are the woman I fell in love with regardless what you can or cannot remember,” he told her, his hand lightly settling over her heart. “This…this hasn’t changed despite everything that Demos has tried to do to take you away from me. You’re still my Kahlan no matter what.”

Kahlan covered his hand resting over her heart with her own. “I may not remember much, but I know in here that I love you more than anything.”

Richard’s smile spread across his face as he quickly leaned in to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. His arms slowly snaked around her waist as his breathing became more labored, pulling her firmly against him. He deepened the kiss as memories of passionate love shared last night assaulted his mind and flooded his body with warm pulsating arousal.

“Haven’t you two already desecrated the Spirit House? Now you have to take it out here too?” Cara huffed in annoyance as she stalked past them with a bow and arrow in hand, Temin following closely behind her with a couple of spears in hand. “Thought you two would’ve gotten it out of your systems by now.”

Temin only smiled widely as they passed the kissing couple, ducking his head in embarrassment and averting his eyes. “I think they look very happy,” he softly commented to Cara, glancing back over his shoulder at the couple so obviously in love.

“A little too happy,” Cara grumbled with a roll of her emerald eyes.

His lips still locked with hers, Richard chuckled into Kahlan’s mouth with Cara’s response, his laughter forcing them to break the kiss. “Come on,” he finally relented, grabbing Kahlan by the hand and leading her towards the clearing. “Let’s go get this over with. The sooner this is done, the sooner I can marry you and finally make you mine.”

Kahlan abruptly pulled him to a stop, a dangerous yet flirtatious glint reflecting in her sapphire eyes. “So I’m not yours now?” she asked with a curious tilt of her head as if daring him. “If I’m not yours now then last night must have meant nothing to you.”

“What?” Richard exclaimed in shock and confusion. “No, Kahlan! You know that’s not true.”

She pulled her hand free, turning her back to him with a smirk on her face. “Well, I guess since I’m not really yours, I’ll just go find someone else who wants me. There was this one Aku warrior that I saw at the feast last night that was kind of handsome. I wonder if he’s still free.”

Richard watched in stunned disbelief as Kahlan began to walk away from him back towards the village, his jealousy igniting like a dangerous inferno. He marched straight for her, roughly grabbing her by the arm and spinning her around. Before Kahlan could comprehend what had just happened, he had her back pinned up against a tree, his lips hovering temptingly close to hers.

“You are such an evil flirt,” he huskily growled, allowing his proximity to affect her like they both knew it did. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she coyly murmured, amusement shining in her eyes.

Richard’s gaze darkened, causing the fine hair on the back of her neck to prickle. “You belong only to me and you know it, Mother Confessor.”

Tilting his head, Richard’s mouth crashed into hers, Kahlan moaning as he fully pressed himself against her, keeping her where he wanted her – trapped between his hard body and the rough tree trunk. It was exciting and thrilling to her core, loving his possessiveness and jealousy. It was rapidly heating her blood.

“Okay, you two,” Zedd suddenly interrupted with a grin as he passed by them. “I’ll pour a bucket of cold water on you if I have to. We’ve got work to do now so come along.”

Richard pulled back enough to gaze into her eyes. “We are going to finish this later.”

The firm resolve in his voice sent a shiver up her spine as he reluctantly pulled away. She released a long slow breath as she fought to rein in the desire thrumming through her. Damn that man. He knew exactly what he did to her and he seemed to always use it to his advantage.

She had to admit, though. She had a similar affect on him as well. She had felt it firmly pressing low against her belly. “If I feel like it,” she offhandedly commented with a shrug of her shoulder as if she didn’t care if he made love to her again or not.

Richard looked back over his shoulder at her, shooting her a playful glare. Her flirtatiousness was driving him wild, reminding him more and more of his Kahlan that he thought he had lost. “We’ll just see who lasts the longest,” he shot back.

Kahlan just flashed him a smile as she continued to follow, doing her best to keep her mind clear and focused instead of thinking about Richard like she had the last time. Zedd needed her mind open and free from distractions and she was going to do her best to give that to him.

She wanted this done and over with as soon as possible so they could get on with their lives, move past what Demos had done to her and Richard. She swore that if that man every came near her again, she would end his life without a second thought. He couldn’t be given a second chance at destroying Richard. She didn’t care about herself; only that her Seeker was safe.

“Alright, Kahlan,” Zedd said, turning to face her. “Have a seat right here on this log just like last time.”

“Where’s Odo?” Richard asked with a frown. “I thought he was supposed to help with this so Kahlan didn’t get sick this time.”

“One of the Aku women just went into labor,” Zedd informed them. “He is with her right now, but he gave me the medicine that he wants Kahlan to take.”

Richard drew a deep breath, raking his fingers back through his hair. He wasn’t sure he liked this, but he wasn’t about to dissuade Kahlan from trying again if this was what she wanted to do. As much as he wanted her to be able to remember everything again, he didn’t know if he could handle watching her go through it all over again knowing how violently sick she had gotten the last time. It had taken everything out of her, causing her so much pain and needing to sleep for hours after.

It pierced his heart as sure as a knife’s blade to see her suffering and yet he couldn’t stand to see her feeling so lost and scared, not knowing where she came from or who he truly was, not completely understanding everything that was happening around her. 

Although she did her best to conceal it from him, he could see the confusion and fear there hiding in the blue depths that looked back at him. He wanted to fix it for her, to make it all better, but even this seemed to be beyond anything that he or anyone else could repair for her.

Hopelessness began to seep into his chest as he watched Kahlan and Zedd settle on fallen trees across from each other. She took the seeds that Zedd gave her, eating them as she glanced at Richard, giving him the special smile that always made his heart soar like an eagle.

Here she was…his beautiful Kahlan…about to undergo another experience that may or may not work with medicine that they both knew probably wouldn’t help and she was attempting to reassure him. It caused his throat to suddenly tighten, unable to tear his eyes away from her.

Richard gave her a smile in response, silently telling her that he would always be right here with her and that it would be alright even though they both knew it wasn’t going to be. He had no illusions about how this was going to go. 

Deep down, he knew that the medicine Odo had given her wasn’t going to do much especially against the powerful occult magic that Demos had instilled inside of her mind. He had a feeling that Kahlan understood that as well, but she was still determined to proceed with this nonetheless.

She never ceased to charm and captivate him in so many ways, her strength and formidable will, her fiery spirit and the immense love that resided in her heart. She was everything good and pure in this world and he would give his life in a heartbeat for her.

“Alright, Kahlan,” Zedd finally said after several long moments. “I think the medicine has had enough time to begin to work through your system. Are you ready to begin?”

Kahlan drew a deep breath, nodding her head in response. “Let’s do this.”

“You tell me if the pain becomes too much,” Zedd firmly instructed her. “I don’t want you to have to suffer through this. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just have to look further when we get to Aydindril for a way to recover your memories.”

“I’ll be alright, Zedd,” she reassured him, steeling herself for the horrifying pain that was about to come despite Odo’s attempts to deter it.

She did her best to keep her heart from racing, to keep her breathing even and her mind clear from all outside distractions. She wanted so badly for this to work, to regain what had been so maliciously stolen from her by Demos Rahl.

Zedd gave her a sad smile, knowing too that this was going to end in disaster but knowing he needed to try for her sake. His bony hand found her knee, patting it gently and squeezing it in reassurance. “I’ll do my best to get them back for you, my dear.”

“Thank you, Zedd,” she murmured, glancing up at Richard who was standing behind him with his arms crossed and an expression of pure worry on his handsome face.

Kahlan closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly to release a long slow breath. She allowed the sounds and smells of the forest that surrounded her to help calm her and clear her mind. Her hands settled on her knees, grasping them lightly as Zedd pressed his fingertips to her temples.

She felt the familiar trickle of magic as it began to seep into her brain, bringing with it a sense of calming warmth as he attempted to soothe her in addition to finding the right magical key that would unlock her memories for her.

Zedd closed his eyes as he began to work, doing whatever he could to help this woman who had become like a granddaughter to him, who meant so very much to his grandson…to all of them. He tried to push away the knowledge that he was about to cause her pain in the midst of his efforts to help her, but it was difficult knowing how much she was about to suffer even with Odo’s help.

Richard watched her like a gar watching its prey, not taking his eyes off of her for moment. He would not hesitate to interrupt, putting a stop to this if it was causing her too much pain. He was not about to let her suffer in order to regain her memories. He would find another way to recover them for her.

Kahlan felt Zedd’s magic gradually grow warmer, cutting like a hot knife through her mind as it dissected it, separating current memories and events as it searched for that which had been locked away and buried deep in her subconsciousness where no one could touch it.

She did her best to keep her face expressionless knowing that Richard was watching her. She could practically feel his intense gaze on her, those deep chocolate orbs studying every minute detail. It caused a feeling of warmth to wash over her, knowing how deeply he truly loved her. That was why she couldn’t let him see how Zedd’s magic was beginning to affect her, knowing it would only upset him. She needed to keep the pain and fear from reaching her face no matter what.

Images began to flip through her mind at a nauseating speed, disjointed pictures of fractured events that left her feeling confused and frightened. Unfamiliar faces covered in a thin haze of smoke swirled past her mind’s eye causing her stomach to churn and twist. 

Who were these people? Were they her family? Friends? Where were her parents? Where was Richard in her memories? 

She so desperately wanted to remember him, remember how they met and fell in love, who she was as well as her family. Where was her mother? Father? Brothers and sisters?

Kahlan internally winced as the pain began to intensify, the pressure inside of her head building as she struggled to remain perfectly still and her face impassive. She swallowed hard as bile began to burn in the back of her throat, her fingers tightening their hold on her knees. 

Tears began to build behind her eyes as the pain spread, swelling to near unbearable levels and yet she fought it back, refusing to give in to its powerful pull. She had to do this if she wanted to marry Richard. He deserved to have a wife who was whole, who remembered the first time their eyes met, their first kiss, the first time they made love.

A soft gasp escaped her lips, flinching from the pain that seared through her head. Richard took a step closer, ready to stop it when Kahlan suddenly spoke. “No…don’t, Richard,” she murmured, keeping her eyes closed as Zedd continued to work.

“Zedd,” Richard ground out, his jaw clenched tight with overwhelming helplessness.

Zedd whispered words of magic as he worked to find the memories, doing his best to ignore the fierce tension radiating from his grandson standing right behind him. He was getting closer, his magic brushing against the surface of her memories that refused to release.

He grimaced with the amount of pain that was storming through the Confessor’s mind, doing his best to keep his focus. If he could just reach a little deeper, find the right combination of magic that would finally unlock the spell that kept them trapped deep inside…

Kahlan suddenly cried out in pain, hot tears streaming down her face as she grabbed her head unable to take much more. Nausea roiled through her, threatening to wrench her lunch free from her stomach as she leaned forward, tightly holding her head.

“Stop!” Richard angrily yelled, moving past his grandfather to kneel before his Confessor. “Kahlan…”

Richard’s gentle voice laced with panic assaulted her ears as she rocked back and forth, holding her head and sobbing uncontrollably. She felt his touch on her, trying to pull her hands away from her head, but she wouldn’t let him. It hurt too bad to let go as she clamped down even harder on her the sides of her head.

Feeling helpless, he wrapped his arms around her, trying to hold her close to him as they waited for the pain to subside. He looked back over his shoulder to see Zedd sag in exhaustion, his face pale and his eyes closed.

“Zedd, are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes, my boy,” Zedd softly said, finally opening his eyes to look at him.

“It didn’t work did it?” Richard asked.

Zedd silently shook his head in response, feeling as though he had failed them both. “I’m so sorry, Richard,” he replied. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to take her back to Aydindril if we want to help her regain her memories.”

Richard nodded his head, turning his attention back to his Confessor who was crying softly. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he tenderly reassured her. “It’s over. You don’t have to do that again.”

She leaned into him, unconsciousness taking her away from him again. He gently picked her up in his arms, pressing his lips to her forehead as he cradled her in his arms. “I’m taking her back to the Spirit House.”

Zedd stood to his feet as well, feeling defeated. “I’m sorry, my boy,” he said once more. “I just can’t risk doing it again without consulting the books at the Wizard’s Keep in Aydindril. I’m afraid of what might happen to her if I try again.”

“Like what?” Richard demanded to know as he cradled his Confessor in his arms.

“It could end up destroying her mind completely or she could become locked inside of her mind and never come back to us,” he grimly told him.

“The risks are becoming too great,” Richard stated, gazing down at the woman in his arms. “I won’t risk losing her just to try to get back something that she might never get back. It’s not worth it.”

“Don’t you think she needs to be one the decide that, Richard?”

The Seeker tried to calm the panic still pounding through him, the fear that gripped his heart. “I can’t lose her, Zedd. I’ve just gotten her back from Demos. I’m not about to take the chance of losing her again especially because of him.”

“Good luck trying to convince Kahlan to give up,” Zedd replied with a grim shake of his head. “She’s determined to get them back because of you.”

“Me?” he frowned. “I told her that I didn’t want her doing this for me.”

“First of all, when has Kahlan ever listened?” Zedd questioned him with a smile. “Secondly, when has Kahlan ever truly done something that was rooted in selfish motives? She’s not doing this for herself, Richard. She’s doing this for you because she feels you deserve a wife who can remember everything about your life together.”

Richard fought back the rush of emotions that flooded his heart for the woman in his arms, trying to find his voice to speak again. “You picked up on all that?”

Zedd nodded his head as his gaze fell to the unconscious Confessor. “That and more,” he revealed. “You never need doubt the depths of her love for you, Richard. I saw it…felt it. It nearly overwhelmed me.”

Gazing down at Kahlan curled against his chest, he knew Zedd’s words to be true. He felt her love every time she looked at him, every time they touched or made love. It inundated him, drowning him in its profound depths and the absolute exquisiteness of what they shared. It was a rare and precious thing that he would fight to protect at all cost.

“I know,” the Seeker softly admitted. “I feel the same way.”

“I know you do,” Zedd confirmed. “We can’t give up hope just yet. I won’t stop until I can find a way to restore what Demos stole from her, but I think we should wait again until I’ve had a chance to consult the books at the Wizard’s Keep.”

“Fine,” Richard relented. “We’ll leave in a couple days for Aydindril, but until then no more attempts no matter what Kahlan says. I can’t watch her go through this again.”

“Let’s get her back to the Spirit House so that she can rest,” the wizard suggested. “You look like you could use some rest yourself, my boy. Long night?”

Richard turned his head away, embarrassed by his grandfather’s question. He could tell by the look in the wizard’s eye that he knew the answer without even having to ask. “You could say that,” he cryptically replied.

Zedd chuckled softly as he followed the Seeker back to the Aku village. “Go rest for a while with Kahlan,” he told him. “I’m going to go see if Odo could use some help with the delivery.”

“Thank you for trying to help Kahlan, Zedd,” Richard said. “I know that you’re doing all you can do right now.”

“I know it’s difficult for her, Richard, but it’s not the end of the world if we don’t recover them for her,” he pointed out. “She’s alive and safe here with us where she belongs. That’s what is most important.”

“I agree, but trying to make her see that is a whole other problem.”

“Don’t worry,” the wizard reassured him. “We’ll get through this one way or another. We always manage to somehow.”

Richard agreed as he carried Kahlan into the Spirit house, knowing his grandfather was right. What worried him most was the next situation they weren’t going to be able to get through.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 7

Sister Tash sat silently by the fire, standing guard while the rest of her Sisters of the Dark slept. She allowed her mind to drift as the shadows of the night moved and shifted about her, the only sound that of the frequent pop and crackle of the fire before her.

She brushed her long blond hair back over her shoulder, her gaze slowly roaming over each of her sleeping sisters. Her eyes settled on the sleeping form of Sister Nicci laying on the far edge of their camp away from the rest of the group.

Nicci had always been more of a loner even long before her break away from the Sisters of the Dark and the Keeper. Even though she’d been brought back into the service of the Keeper, there was still something different about her, setting her far apart from the rest.

Thinking long and hard about it, Tash finally decided that it was because she was far more powerful than all of them combined. It had been a miracle that they’d been able to pursue and capture her, performing the ritual turning her back to the Keeper. It had taken all of them using every bit of power that they had possessed to restrain her long enough to gain the upper hand.

She just hoped the spell would hold. Nicci was very powerful and intelligent, her will indomitable. Even though they had managed to break her spirit through the spell this time, she had a bad feeling it would only be a temporary hold.

She internally shuddered at the thought of Sister Nicci suddenly breaking free of the powerful spell they had placed on her. There would be no place they could hide from her vengeful wrath. It would be better if they were dead if that happened. 

Tash wrapped her blanket a little tighter around her as a cool wind suddenly blew through their camp. She forced her gaze back to the dancing orange flames before her that attempted to mesmerize her into a sleepy state. She rubbed her eyes, trying to remove the weariness in them to no avail as she attempted to stifle a yawn.

She watched in awe as the colors of the fire suddenly swirled to an eerie shade of green and black. She was stunned to see the form of her master’s servant taking shape before her very eyes. She immediately straightened, her blanket slipping from her shoulders as she fell to her knees before the image of Darken Rahl.

“My lord,” she softly murmured, bowing her face low to the ground, trembling with fear. “What have I done to be honored by your appearance?”

Darken smiled at her humility and reverence. Novices of the Sisters of the Dark were always so quick to please without question. “I have a special job just for you, Sister Tash.”

Tash instantly lifted her head, her eyes wide with stunned disbelief. “Me, my lord?” she gasped, quickly looking around to see if any of her other sisters were awake only to find them all still asleep, unaware of their visitor. “Why would you choose me? I’m only a novice. I’m unworthy of your notice.”

Darken’s lips twitched, morphing into a dark smirk at the young woman before him. “Oh, but my dear, we do take notice of all of the Keeper’s faithful servants…even the novices.”

“I am honored, Lord Rahl,” Tash murmured, still dazed by his presence. “What can I do for you, my lord?”

“I actually have a very special mission that only you can handle for me,” he informed her, clasping his hands behind his back as he spoke. “Are you prepared to do whatever it is I ask of you?”

Tash looked up at him through her eyelashes, her insides trembling with both fear as well as nervous excitement. “I will do anything you ask.”

“Good…very good,” Darken muttered as he stroked his goatee. “I want you to keep a special eye on Sister Nicci for me.”

Confusion flooded the young Sister’s eyes as she gazed up at the fiery green image of Darken Rahl. “Do you not trust her, my lord?”

“To tell you the truth…no,” he bluntly confessed. “She turned against us once. I won’t put it past her to break from this spell somehow and turn on us again.”

“Do you really believe she could do that?”

“Nicci is a very dangerous sorceress, Tash,” Darken warned her. “She can’t be fully trusted until she has proven herself with this mission we have entrusted her as well as you and your sisters with.”

Tash’s face fell along with her heart now that her own fears about the Sister of the Dark had been confirmed. She had hoped for all of their sakes that her concerns about Nicci had been foolish, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

“What would you have me do, my lord?” she asked with a frown. “I am but a simple novice and Sister Nicci is the most powerful sister that walks the territories. There is no way that I could possibly stop her.”

“It’s alright, Tash,” Darken reassured her. “I just want you to keep a close watch on her for me. If you start to notice anything, I want you to gather your sisters and take her out if necessary.”

Tash stared at the flickering green image of the Keeper’s servant for a long moment before finally making her tongue cooperate. “You…you want us to send her to the Keeper?”

“Yes,” Darken confirmed. “She’s far too dangerous to allow to live. If she refuses to serve the Keeper, then she doesn’t deserve to live.”

“Yes, my lord,” Tash murmured, lowering her head in regret, but knowing that her master’s wishes must be carried out no matter how she felt about it. “I promise I will not let you down.”

“I know you won’t, Sister Tash,” Darken smiled down upon her. “You will be rewarded for your faithful service to the Keeper.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Tash softly said.

Tash looked up again to find the campfire had returned to its normal orange glow again, Darken Rahl vanishing from sight. She let out the breath she had been holding as she quickly looked around her to find that her sisters were still sleeping soundly.

She checked to find that Sister Nicci was still asleep as well much to her great relief. As much as she hated the idea of crossing the deadly Sister of the Dark, she knew that it would be far worse to cross the Keeper.

Reaching for her blanket, she wrapped it securely around her shoulders as her watchful gaze fell on the powerful sorceress sleeping on the far edge of the clearing. She pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her chin on top of her knees hoping more than anything that she’d be able to carry out the Keeper’s wishes if it came down to it.

She couldn’t help the tremor of fear that rippled through her, knowing that she might end up having to face off against the most powerful sorceress who ever lived.

XXX

Kahlan ran as hard as she could, trying to escape the beast that was chasing her through the darkness that enveloped her. She was panting hard, her chest heaving as she sucked in large gulps of air as sweat trickled down her back.

She grunted as she careened into a rocky wall of the cavern she had found herself in, rubbing her sore arm as she continued to run. Its growl echoed through the cave and vibrated in her chest, the ground beneath her boots quaking. She risked a glance back over her shoulder, catching a brief glimpse of its white razor-sharp teeth in the flickering light cast by the torch clutched tightly in her hand.

She suddenly cried out as the rocky cave floor seemed to give way beneath her boots causing her to stumble and fall. The torch slipped from her sweaty grip, hitting the ground and rolling out of reach. The wind was knocked from her lungs as she landed hard, momentarily dazing her.

Kahlan quickly attempted to scramble to her feet, the beast’s growling roar deafening as she fought to get to her feet once more. Her boots slipped in the scree, keeping her from regaining her balance. Terrified tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she clawed at the gravel, wishing that she could find Richard.

She could feel the beast’s hot breath on her back, causing her to cry out in fear. She flipped onto her back as she attempted to scoot away only to find that she had nowhere to go. She pressed her back up against the rocky cave wall, trying to make herself as small as humanly possible.

The beast couldn’t be seen in dark shadows of the cave, but she could feel him there, growing larger and closer with every fierce hammer of her heart that pounded in her ears. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t make her mouth work as she tried to cry out for help.

This couldn’t be it, couldn’t be the end. She had a life that she wanted to live with Richard, a future with him and the family they wanted. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, fear clawing at her throat. The beast’s rancid breath blasted her in the face, telling her this was it.

Kahlan bolted upright out of her sleep with a sharp cry, her heart thundering wildly beneath her breast. Her entire body was trembling uncontrollably as she fought to catch the breath that her nightmare had just stolen.

She jumped when she felt strong arms winding around her, grabbing hold of her. She began to struggle against his hold on her only for the soothing sound of Richard’s voice to suddenly cut through the confusion that still clouded her mind.

“Kahlan, it’s me…it’s Richard,” he tried to reassure her. “You’re safe.”

Kahlan turned to find herself staring into deep chocolate brown eyes filled with worry gazing back at her. “Richard,” she gasped in relief, throwing herself into his arms as tears leaked from her eyes.

She clung to him as she cried, unable to stop shaking from the terror that still coursed through her veins. Richard held her tightly, rubbing her back as he attempted to calm her down. He wasn’t sure what she had dreamed about, but it hadn’t been anything good.

“It’s alright,” he murmured into her hair. “I’m right here.”

Kahlan pulled back, kissing him through her tears as she crawled into his lap. Close wasn’t nearly close enough as she lost herself in the kiss, wanting to just forget the horror of the nightmare that had rattled her to her core.

Pulling back, Richard’s hands came to rest on either side of her face, holding her still and forcing her to look at him. “What happened, Kahlan?” he asked her. “What did you dream about?”

Her eyes fell closed as she drew a ragged breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She shuddered as she thought back on what she had just experienced, wanting more than anything to just forget. “I…I was being chased,” she whispered, pulling out of his hold on her.

“By who?”

Kahlan shook her head as she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. “I don’t know what it was,” she softly replied. “It was dark and it was chasing me through a cavern. It was like an animal of some sort…very big…with horns and large teeth.”

The details of her nightmare suddenly triggered something in his memory. “Kahlan, I think your nightmare was actually a previous memory coming to the surface.”

“What?” she asked, confused. She straightened up, brushing her hair back away from her face as she turned to look at her Seeker. “You’re saying I experienced this before?”

“It wasn’t long after we met,” he explained. “Darken Rahl had put a bounty on my head. There was this girl who tricked us into going into a deep cavern where she pushed you off a ledge and took me prisoner. She left you there to die. You were able to escape, but not before being chased by a Shadrin.”

“A Shadrin?” she questioned him. “What is that?”

“It’s a large beast with horns and sharp teeth,” he told her. “They were supposed to be nothing more than a myth, but you told me later after you rescued me about your encounter with one.”

“So I obviously got away without it hurting me if I was able to rescue you after I escaped,” she absentmindedly said, more to herself than to him as she thought back on the nightmare, hoping to remember more about the event.

“You were amazing, Kahlan,” he replied with admiration in his voice. “I don’t think anyone had actually encountered a Shadrin and lived to tell about it before you.”

She felt a momentary spark of pride with his compliment only to have it vanish just as quickly as regret seeped through her, wishing that she could remember more of her life. “So tell me what happened after I escaped from the Shadrin?”

Richard pulled her against him as he laid them back on the bedroll, her head coming to rest against his chest. She slipped her arm over his abdomen, molding herself to him, hooking her leg over his. He tightened his hold on her, feeling her shiver against him as if still fighting the demons that haunted her sleep.

The nightmare had really rattled her, but he could hardly blame her. Dealing with a Shadrin was bad enough when you did have your memories and knew what was going on. It would be worse in Kahlan’s position, not understanding what was happening.

“When I finally came to, Lily had me tied to the bed of a wagon,” he began, gently stroking her hair as he thought back on that day. It had definitely not been his finest. “You came to my rescue then. I remember being so relieved that you were alright. I was so afraid that you were hurt in that cavern with that Shadrin and I couldn’t get to you help you. You ended up not needing me after all.”

“I’ll always need you, Richard,” she reassured him, tilting her head to press her lips to his chest.

Richard smiled to himself with her words. Little did she know that she was just as powerful as him if not more so. “And I’ll always need you too.”

“Tell me another one of our adventures,” she replied as she caressed his side.

“I think I better tell you one that paints me in a much better light,” he teased, chuckling softly and causing them both to shake.

“Richard, you could never look bad to me no matter what you do,” she reassured him. “I think you’re perfect just as you are.”

“I’m far from perfect,” he told her with a shake of his head. “When you get your memories back, you’ll finally know that.”

“I know what’s in my heart,” she insisted, “and my heart tells me you are the most amazing man in every way. I don’t think I could possibly love you more than I already do now.”

Richard suddenly shifted, rolling her onto her back as his lips met hers in a heated rush, her words of love touching his heart and awakening his desire. She meant absolutely everything to him, his love her absolute and irrevocable. 

He pressed his body into hers, kissing her breathless. “I love you, Kahlan…I want you so badly,” he murmured as his lips ghosted over her cheekbone before finding the spot behind her ear that drove her wild.

“I can tell,” she gasped as she lifted her hips to press her pelvis fully against his hardening need.

Richard groaned at the feel of her so warm and soft beneath him. He had intended to hold her until she’d been able to fall back asleep, but now he found he couldn’t stop himself from wanting her all over again. She always had that powerful affect on him, stirring his desire and igniting a fire deep within his belly like nothing he’d ever known before her.

Kahlan curved her body up into his, pressing her breasts against the smooth muscular contours of his chest and gasping contentedly at the contact that set her on fire as his mouth found hers once more in a searing kiss. His hand slipped between them, teasing her center and eliciting a gasp of pleasure.

She moaned as his hand moved to grip her thigh, bending her knee up as he pushed himself deep inside of her. He paused for a moment, just savoring the erotic sensation that always lanced through every part of him every time he joined himself with her, threatening to drive him over the edge.

Being with her like this was far better than any fantasy or dream that he’d ever had about her since first meeting her. He never wanted this to end, determined to never let anything come between them or try to break them apart.

Kahlan held him tightly to her, her hands stroking his back as he began to set a slow steady rhythm, taking his time loving her, wanting her to feel and know every single hard inch of him inside of her, knowing that only he could ever love her like this.

Her breath became his as she breathed out and he drew in, his slow steady build of passion with every thrust and grind of his hips driving them both more and more frantic for a release that he kept just out of reach for both of them. 

His lips glided over her throat as she arched her neck, offering more of herself to him and grunting her frustration that was building to an almost unbearable level deep within her. Her fingers moved down his back to grip at his backside as she drew her knees even further up her body, desperate for him to drive deeper inside of her, pushing her over the edge he’d had them both teetering on for what felt like an eternity now as she rocked her hips with his.

Her every muscle strained and tensed in a frenzied need for the release being denied her, her body strung so tight by him. A low growl issued from the Seeker’s throat as Kahlan groaned his name, a strangled plea lacing his name that he was far from ready to answer. 

He sharply gasped her name as she dug her fingers into the firm muscles of his ass, trying to force him to move faster, harder as he continued to alternate between slow steady thrusts and hip grinding pleasure. Richard bit his bottom lip as he nuzzled her throat, fighting against his body’s overwhelming demand to find that powerful release with her.

Her breath was a hot blast against his shoulder as she panted and twisted beneath him. The pleasure was beginning to grow excruciating for both of them as Kahlan spread her legs even further for him, praying he’d give her what she so desperately wanted. Instead, he eased up a little, allowing them both a brief reprieve before he began to drive her to that precipice all over again.

“Spirits! Richard…please…let me…Richard…” she panted, her head spinning with the sweet bliss that was pounding and twisting through her body.

She thought she was going to lose her mind if he didn’t bring her to completion soon. Her heart was racing, her breath coming in staccato gasps as sweat glistened on her skin and pooled in the valley between her breasts. She shifted her legs again, hooking them over his and pressing her heals into his backside in an effort to make him give her what she so frantically needed in that moment.

Richard grunted with the feel of her heels and fingers pressing deeper and deeper into his flesh, turning him on even more with erotic pleasure. He knew that he had her strung tight, her body bowing, muscles clenching and unclenching as she frantically reached out for the release he was denying her.

Exhaustion began to set into his body, letting him know that he wasn’t going to last much longer either at this rate. He was in the same frenzied state that she was in, but he wanted to make the ecstasy last for as long as humanly possible.

He reached his arm under her, his hand splayed across her low back to keep her pelvis pressed against his while his other snaked down between their bodies slick with sweat to find the junction between her legs. He swore the heat radiating off of their joined bodies could ignite their own fire as he finally began to pump harder into her, giving them both what they were aching for.

Every delicious slam of his hips against hers drove the air from her lungs causing her to cry out in pleasure. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he began to lightly caress her center, adding to the sweet torment that he’d already been giving her. Her body began to tremble, locked in a fierce state of frenzy, not knowing whether to contract or release, to let loose or stay lost in the sensations crashing over her.

Using his thumb, he applied more pressure to her center causing her to come with a scream that he swiftly silenced with his hot mouth slanted over hers. Her inner walls clamped down on him like a powerful vice, keeping him locked securely inside of her as she climaxed, her entire body seizing with the rapture that continually crashed over her with no perceivable end in sight.

Her muscles finally relaxed a little after what felt like forever, allowing him to finally continue thrusting into her again with wild abandon. His body abruptly grew rigid and arched as he came with a loud grunt, forcing her right into another climax with the feel of his hot seed suddenly filling her so very full and making her feel complete as she milked him for all that he had.

Her chest heaved beneath him as she greedily gulped in air, fighting to regain some semblance of control. She finally unhooked her legs from his once her mind and body started to cooperate again. Boneless with euphoria, Richard quickly rolled off of her to keep from crushing her, lying on his back next to her as he too struggled to catch his breath.

He didn’t think that he’d ever come so hard in his entire life, nearly causing him to black out. Finally regaining control of his body again, Richard got up, going to the bucket of water and cloth that sat on a bench near the fire. He dipped the cloth into the bucket, wringing out the water before returning to Kahlan. 

He gently began cleaning both of them up, removing evidence of their union and secretly hoping that they had made a baby by now. He knew it was selfish of him to be thinking about wanting to have a baby with her when she couldn’t remember anything about her life and with Demos still on the loose.

Noticing the pensive expression on his face as he knelt beside her, she couldn’t help but feel his struggle as he gently ran the warm cloth over her thighs. “What is it, Richard?” she asked, rolling onto her side so she could face him. “What are you thinking about?”

“It’s nothing,” he tried to tell her.

Richard stood up, dropping the cloth back into the bucket before returning to her. He settled on the bedroll beside her, lying down and pulling her into his arms. She contentedly cuddled up next to him, molding herself to his body as she rested her head on his chest.

“You were thinking about something,” she tried again.

“I was just thinking about how much I love you…how much you mean to me,” he told her, not wanting to add to the chaos that was storming around her by adding the notion of a baby into the mix.

“I love you too,” she sleepily replied, failing to stifle a yawn.

“Sleep, Kahlan,” he murmured, stroking her hair and feeling her relax in his arms.

She fell asleep quickly, feeling safe and loved in the arms of her Seeker. Richard tilted his chin, kissing the top of her head, hoping that the nightmares would stay away and allow her the sleep that she needed. 

It gave him a small glimmer of optimism that took root knowing that the nightmare had been related to a distant memory. He hoped the rest of her memories would resurface as well without her having to endure anymore pain or sickness. He just hoped it wouldn’t come in the form of nightmares.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 8

Richard quietly exited the Spirit House, gently closing the door behind him. Turning, he found Cara coming towards him. “Morning,” he softly greeted her with a smile.

Cara immediately frowned with his greeting. “Why are you whispering?”

“Kahlan is still sleeping,” he informed her, grabbing her by the elbow and leading her away from the Spirit House.

A knowing smirk crossed the Mord’Sith’s face as they came to a stop, her hands automatically finding her hips. “Well, if you could keep your hands off of her maybe she could get some sleep.”

Richard averted his eyes in embarrassment, his insides flushing warmly with remembrance of how intensely passionate things had gotten last night between him and Kahlan. It had been incredible and erotic and left him craving her even more, but he’d managed to stay in control of his appetite for her, allowing them both some much needed sleep this morning.

“She’s having nightmares, Cara,” he said with a frown. “I think her memories are struggling to resurface despite the spell.”

“Do you think Zedd’s magic has helped her then?” Cara asked.

“It definitely stirred up something,” he thoughtfully agreed. “She had nightmares about a Shadrin she faced a couple of months after we had first met.”

“Does she remember much of anything else?”

Richard shook his head, his frown deepening further. “No, nothing else,” he admitted. “I’m hoping with time that she’ll begin to remember more, but I don’t want it to continue to cause her nightmares. That’s no way to get her memories back.”

“But isn’t it better than not getting them back at all?” Cara questioned him.

“I don’t know anymore,” he replied in exasperation, his frustration and anger always right there beneath the surface since this whole thing with Demos had first started. “No matter what happens it’s causing her pain of some kind. She was really shaken up last night with the nightmares.”

“I’m sure you found a way to make her feel better,” Cara commented with a smirk.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, ready to change the subject. “I think we should start heading to Aydindril tomorrow. We need to get Kahlan back there where Zedd can help her. Then, I’m going after Demos.”

“Finally!” Cara cried. “It’s about time someone listens to me, but I don’t like the idea of you going after Demos. You need to just stay away from him. I will go handle Demos Rahl myself.”

“Cara, you are not going after Demos by yourself,” Richard heatedly stated, his voice hard and leaving no room for argument. “He is my brother and I will handle him. This is between him and me.”

“He wants you and Kahlan,” she reminded him, refusing to back down. “He will not stop until you are dead and Kahlan is his to torment and rape as he pleases.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” he spat out, fire dancing in his chocolate brown eyes. “It’s why I have to go after him and end this once and for all before he can get to Kahlan.”

“What are you going to do about the prophecy Zedd said that you had discovered?”

Richard’s jaw instantly clenched, his body growing rigid with the reminder of the damned prophecy that haunted his life. “Nothing,” he ground out. “I’m not going to allow prophecy to dictate my life. I will take care of Demos and then I am going to marry Kahlan regardless of what some prophecy says.”

“Will you at least let me come with you to the People’s Palace to end Demos?” she asked. “I know that place inside and out. I can get you in without being captured.”

“We’ll discuss it later,” he finally relented with a heavy sigh. “Right now my greatest concern is Kahlan and getting her back to Aydindril.”

“Cara!” Temin called to the Mord’Sith as he approached. “Are you ready to go?”

Richard looked from Cara to Temin and back again, a smile spreading across his face. He was somewhat taken aback by the recent turn of events with Cara and her newfound friendship. “Where are you two heading now?”

“We’re going hunting for more deer,” Temin replied. “My sister’s bonding ceremony is tonight and we need a couple more deer for the feast.”

“I’ll be back later,” Cara told him, taking the extra bow and arrows from Temin.

“Have a good time,” Richard said with a crooked smile.

Cara huffed in annoyance, rolling her eyes at the silly grin on his face. She called him something profane as she walked away, refusing to give him a second look as he started to laugh. He watched the pair disappear into the words, the heaviness in his heart suddenly expanding with his desire to marry Kahlan only growing stronger every day.

He wished more than anything that it was them getting married tonight along with Temin’s sister, but that wasn’t going to be happening any time soon. He felt guilty for wanting something so much when Kahlan was obviously struggling so hard right now with what was happening to her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t getting better for her any time soon.

It was beyond infuriating being forced to just sit back and watch someone he loved so deeply suffer like this and not be able to do a damn thing to help her. He rubbed his eyes burning with fatigue, opening them to find Zedd coming towards him.

“Richard, my boy,” Zedd happily greeted him. “You look tired. Rough night?”

“Kahlan kept having nightmares last night,” he told him, sitting down a crude looking bench, his grandfather settling down next to him.

Zedd’s wiry white eyebrows bunched together in sudden concern. “What kind of nightmares?”

“Remember when there was that bounty on my head and Lily captured me in order to make a trade to free her brother?” he asked, waiting until Zedd nodded his head before finally continuing. “Kahlan had a nightmare about the Shadrin that attacked her in that cave Lily had left her in.”

Zedd stroked his chin as he considered this revelation. He could feel his grandson’s intent gaze studying him and hoping for some answers to all of this. “This could be a good sign that Kahlan may get her memories back on her own,” he finally spoke.

The apprehension in Zedd’s tone was not lost on the Seeker. “Could be?” Richard questioned him. “You think this could be bad?”

“Well, it’s very unfortunate for Kahlan if her memories are breaking free in the form of nightmares,” he explained, still considering this unexpected turn of events. “The problem is that the mind can be a very fickle thing. Thoughts and memories can be influenced by so many things such as emotions and perceptions. 

“The fact that it’s coming back in her dreams can add a disturbing aspect that can twist events into something altogether different. It could definitely muddy the waters even more.”

Richard leaned forward resting his forearms on his knees and holding his head in his hands. “I don’t know what to do for her anymore,” he confessed with a weary sigh. “Everything we try ends up causing her more harm. Demos thought of everything when he created this spell, didn’t he?”

“I’m afraid that he certainly did,” Zedd agreed, his expression grim. “I wish I could say that I had an easy explanation or fix for Kahlan, but I’m afraid I just don’t…at least not until I can get to the Wizard’s Keep in Aydindril and see what I can find. We’re dealing with occult magic that I’m not familiar with.”

Richard felt an icy shiver of dread wrap around his heart as if it was the Keeper’s hand itself, his fingers tightening. He hated magic, but he hated dark magic even more. “I don’t know how to fight this, Zedd. It’s not something that I can battle with my sword or shoot with an arrow.”

Zedd patted his grandson on the back, understanding the weight of his grief and frustration. He wished that Richard and Kahlan could find some peace and happiness without the distractions and dangers that came with the titles they carried.

“I also want to dig deeper into this prophecy you told me about.”

“It’s probably nothing,” Richard absentmindedly murmured, his gaze on the Spirit House, anxiously waiting for Kahlan to wake up. He wanted to spend the day with her, hoping he could help rebuild some memories for her.

“I doubt it’s nothing, Richard,” Zedd said with a shake of his head. “If the Seeker of Truth feels it’s something then there’s definitely something to it. You wouldn’t have felt such an intense sense of dread inside about it if it was truly nothing to be concerned about. The feeling hasn’t completely left…has it?”

Richard drew a shaky breath, his eyes closing in reluctant acceptance of what his grandfather was telling him. “No,” he softly admitted. “I’m terrified of what could happen to Kahlan if I marry her. That’s my heart’s deepest desire – to spend my life with her, to have a family with her. What if following that desire ends up hurting her somehow? I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened to her and yet I know that I can’t survive without her.”

“We’ll figure this mess out, Richard,” the wizard reassured him, noticing his grandson’s expression brightening as he spotted Kahlan suddenly coming out of the Spirit House. “We won’t give up on her.”

“Never,” Richard whispered in agreement as he immediately made his way to her.

Zedd watched as Richard stood before Kahlan, his arms wrapping so protectively around her and pulling her close. He noticed the way that the Confessor’s face immediately lit up at the sight of her Seeker, the way that her sapphire eyes sparkled like the rarest diamonds when she looked at Richard.

It warmed his heart to see his grandson so in love with an amazing woman like Kahlan. He wanted more than anything to give them the chance at the life they desperately wanted. He just hoped that he’d be able to find the answers that they needed in order to help Kahlan so they could have the happiness that they deserved.

The wrinkles around his mouth deepened with the smile as he watched his grandson take Kahlan’s hand in his, leading her towards the woods. He swore that in all of his years he’d never seen a couple more in love than those two were. 

Hopefully, they would be able to stop Demos before he came at them again, before he destroyed them for good.

XXX

Kahlan ran her brush through her hair, her mind a thousand leagues from the Aku village as the bristles repeatedly raked through her thick raven strands. She couldn’t shake the dread that lingered in her veins, the way that the nightmare had rattled her to her core.

The only thing that had gotten her through the night had been Richard, the protective shelter that his arms had provided her, the reassurance and love that his body had given her. Without him, she knew she’d be completely lost.

Setting her brush down, she pulled the sides of her hair back, securing it at the back of her head. She couldn’t help the apprehension that continually simmered inside of her, threatening to expand and consume her. She found herself growing anxious as evening drew near. 

The thought of going to sleep and possibly reliving more memories through her nightmares didn’t exactly sound like something that she wanted to experience again. At the same time, she wanted her memories…her life back more than anything, not only for herself but for Richard as well.

He had told her that they were going to be attending a wedding tonight and it only added to her worry. It was going to be more than difficult watching this couple be pronounced as one when it was something that she and Richard wanted more than anything as well.

She slipped on the blue dress that Richard told her Caref had made for her, the corners of her lips curling, remembering the way that Richard’s eyes darkened to an even deeper shade of brown whenever he saw her in it. She could practically feel the intense desire, the heat radiating off of his perfect body whenever he was near her. It always set her heart aflame with the love she felt for him.

A sudden rap at the wooden door alerted her that it was time to go. She nervously ran her hands over her dress, smoothing it out before running her fingers through the raven curls that flowed down her back. “I’m coming,” she called.

“Take your time, Kahlan,” Richard’s voice came through the door.

“No, I’m ready,” she insisted as she quickened her step, pushing the door open to find her handsome Seeker standing there wearing the native Aku wrap circling his waist...and nothing else.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, her stunned gaze roaming over the chiseled expanse of his chest, his broad shoulders as well as the narrow cut of his hips. She raked her teeth over her bottom lip as her gaze followed the defined muscles on either side of his hips that disappeared beneath the bright material to what she intimately knew lay hidden beneath. 

She loved following that muscular indent of hard muscle with her hands, caressing him and allowing it to lead her fingers to wrap around his thick manhood so hot and hard like steel. A sigh of longing suddenly slipped past her lips as she slowly closed the distance between them.

Richard felt a shiver of desire lance through him as if it had been a bolt of lightning itself, powerful and hot and overpowering. She looked utterly breathtaking, almost painfully so. It was nearly unbearable to stare at her and yet he couldn’t tear his eyes away even if he had wanted to.

A soft gasp escaped as his hand unconsciously reached up to touch an errant curl, caressing the silken lock before allowing it to slip past his fingers. His hand found the delicate curve of her cheek, watching as the flames from the torch lights danced and sparkled in her sapphire eyes.

“Kahlan,” he murmured, her name barely audible as he struggled to draw a breath. “So very beautif...”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Kahlan’s lips were crashing into his, the palms of her hands coming to rest against the muscular planes of his chest. The warmth of his skin beneath her fingers was heating her blood, the eager participation of his mouth causing arousal to settle low in her pelvis.

She retreated with a gasp, breathing heavily as she rested her forehead against his. “You look very handsome tonight.”

Richard chuckled lightly as his hands settled on either side of her face, tilting her head down to tenderly press his lips to her forehead. “I can tell you like my skirt,” he said. “Very manly isn’t it? You don’t remember seeing me wear it before do you?”

Kahlan silently shook her head, her heart sinking with the heaviness that guilt always brought with it. “No…I’m sorry I don’t. I wish I could.”

“It’s alright,” he reassured her. “The expression on your face tonight was exactly the same as that night a few weeks ago when you first saw me.”

“You still remember that moment?” she asked, stunned.

“Kahlan, it’s a moment that I’ll never forget,” he confessed, his hands slipping down to rest on either side of her neck. “I spotted you from across the clearing. There were Aku everywhere when our eyes suddenly found each others. It was…incredible. It was as if time itself had abruptly stood still.”

Her arms snaked around his neck, drawing him to her again in another passionate kiss. No matter how horrible she felt, how discouraged or frustrated she became, he always made her feel so loved…so wanted.

She teased his bottom lip, raking her teeth across it and sucking on it before finally releasing it. “You are making it more than difficult not to just pick you up and take you back into the Spirit House…to ravish you senseless.”

“Later,” she whispered, kissing him once more before pulling out of his hold on her. “We have a wedding to attend.”

“Someday it will be our own,” he reassured her, taking her hand in his and leading her to where everyone was beginning to gather.

“Promise?” she asked, leaning into his shoulder.

“I swear on my life that I am going to marry you someday, Kahlan,” he adamantly stated. “You are going to be my wife soon and we will have a houseful of children.”

“And how many children do you want to have?”

“No more than twenty,” he teased, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye to catch her reaction. He couldn’t contain his laughter when she came to a sudden stop, her mouth falling open in shock. “I’m only teasing.”

Kahlan playfully smacked him on the arm, her brow knitting together in annoyance. “Richard!” she cried.

Richard’s laughter only deepened, taking on a hearty tone that caused a flutter to erupt in the pit of her stomach. “I want as many children as you want and not one more or less.”

“That’s a much better answer,” she decided as they drew near to the gathering.

Tolla quickly spotted them approaching, a broad smile spreading across his face. “Seeker Richard! Confessor Kahlan!” he greeted them. “You are to sit at a place of honor with me and Caref.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Kahlan said, wrapping her arms around Richard’s left arm. “We’re just honored to be able to be here with you tonight.”

“No…no, we insist,” Tolla told her with a shake of his head. “Come with me. We’re about to start.”

Richard and Kahlan followed Tolla to a special platform that was used especially for occasion such as this. They found Zedd and Cara already seated on the wooden platform with Mitta, the elder of the Aku, and Caref.

Richard allowed Kahlan to take her seat beside Mitta before sitting down beside his Confessor, his hand coming to rest on her knee. She beamed a radiant smile at him that immediately melted his heart as her hand came to rest on top of his.

A single drum began to sound, a deep steady beat that seemed to match the thumping of her heart as the Aku scattered on the ground before them all grew silent. She watched with rapt attention as all heads turned to find Athanas coming from the back of the crowded clearing in the center of the village. 

He was a large young man with very broad shoulders and muscular arms, long ebony hair pulled into a low ponytail. A bright purple wrap adorned his waist, a long thin strip of purple tied around his right wrist. He walked with great strength and pride to the center of the crowd, his expression serious but his dark brown eyes were bright with excitement.

The beat of the drum suddenly increased into a powerful roll like the hooves of a hundred horses as everyone stood to their feet and bowed their heads. Kahlan looked to see that everyone on the platform remained seated while the rest of the Aku stood for Temin’s sister, Pasha.

A beautiful girl entered from the opposite side of the village wearing the same color of purple. The wrap draped her body perfectly, her dark hair arranged in an elegant braid with flowers. A long thin strip of purple was tied to her left wrist similar to Athanas.

Her head was slightly bowed as she approached her mate, coming to a stop before him. Kahlan could practically feel their love for one another, the excitement that was brimming in the air around them as the drum suddenly stopped.

Mitta stood to her foot at that moment, descending from the platform and making her way towards the couple facing one another in the middle of the gathering as everyone sat back down on the ground. The elder woman held up both hands, the silence surrounding them practically deafening.

She began to utter words in their native language, something that Kahlan couldn’t begin to decipher. Despite not knowing the words being spoken, the meaning was more than obvious, the cadence beautiful in its own way similar to a dance.

It was mesmerizing to behold as Mitta began to circle around them as she spoke blessings upon the couple. She paused long enough to grasp hold of one end of the thin purple strip tied to Athanas’s right wrist and began to wrap it around Pasha, bringing it around behind her to tie the young woman’s left wrist.

When she had finished tying it, Mitta took the thin purple strip that had been previously tied to Pasha’s left wrist, bringing it around behind Athanas to tie to his right wrist and joining them together as one. The elder woman raised both hands, allowing them to come to rest on each of their heads.

“Two bodies, two hearts, two souls,” Mitta suddenly said, her voice loud and ringing out throughout the gathering despite her small withered frame. “I now pronounce you one – one in body, one in heart, and one in soul. Never shall this bond be broken, never in life and not even in death…forever one.”

Richard felt his heart begin to thump a little harder as he watched the ceremony playing out before them. He cast a glance at the beautiful woman beside him, noticing a tear escape from the corner of her eye to slowly trickle down her cheek.

Despite the tear, there was an expression of awe and beauty on her face, one that charmed him clear to his toes. There was a sweet innocence about her, a life that hadn’t been completely tainted by the evils of the world around them despite what Demos had done to them or blemished by the horrors that she had endured during her life up this point. 

Not having her memories had left her with a fresh viewpoint of life, pure like the eyes of a newborn. He hated to see this optimistic unforeseen consequence of it all disappear once her memories were restored and yet he wanted his Kahlan to be whole again. He needed her more than anything in this world to survive.

He just wished she didn’t have to remember all the horrible things that she’d been forced to endure – the abuse by her father, the torture by the Wizard Giller, the countless battles they’d had to fight, the death of her fellow Confessors…her sister Dennee. 

There were so many tragedies that he wanted to shield her from reliving or experiencing in her nightmares and yet he knew he couldn’t do that to her. She deserved to know what had happened in her life. All that had happened to her helped to shape the woman that she had become, the woman that he had fallen so in love with. 

If even one moment in time were erased, a part of Kahlan could be erased as well.

Richard scooted closer to her, his fingers interlacing with hers and holding it tightly. He gently kissed her temple, a murmured proclamation of love lingering on his lips. “Someday, Kahlan…someday soon. I promise.”

She turned to look at him, her eye glistening with tears and his special smile on her lips. She knew in her heart that he wouldn’t give up until they were finally married. It brought her a sense of peace knowing that he loved her that much, refused to give up on them or her.

Turning her attention to the young couple as Mitta made a final pronouncement; Kahlan could only hope that it would happen before Demos could sink his claws into their lives again or the prophecy that they had learned in Canecia could destroy what they had found in each other.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to warn you Demos is rather....wicked...in the last part of this update.

Chapter 9

Richard woke to the sound of someone knocking, his brain clouded with sleep, his left side held down by the beautiful woman sleeping beside him. With a confused frown, he carefully slid out from under Kahlan, trying his best not to wake her. He reached for her green blanket, gently covering her before grabbing his breeches and slipping them on.

He quickly went to the door, opening it to find Zedd standing there. Richard squinted as he stepped out into the bright sunlight, closing the door behind him as he tried to make his sleep-deprived mind work. “Zedd?” Richard groggily muttered. “What is it?”

“I thought you wanted to leave for Aydindril today?” he reminded him.

“I do,” he agreed. “Why?”

“Well, it’s almost lunchtime,” he informed him. “If you want to get a good start, we should probably be leaving soon don’t you think?”

Richard scrubbed his face with his hands in an effort to banish the fatigue. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

Zedd frowned as he studied his grandson. “Are you alright, my boy?”

“Kahlan had more nightmares again last night,” he revealed.

“What about?”

“Wizard Giller,” Richard ground out. The memory and the fury that accompanied the incident was still fresh in his own mind. Being forced to watch as Giller had tortured Kahlan had been next to unbearable. “Except instead of remembering him driving those needles into her, he was also trying to rape her.”

“That part never happened,” Zedd murmured as he considered it. “Did it?”

“No, it didn’t,” he sighed heavily as he leaned against the wooden door frame of the Spirit House. “She must be remembering Darken Rahl attacking her in the Underworld when she died.”

The wizard could see the rage burning hotly in the Seeker’s eyes with the reminder of losing Kahlan, of what she had been forced to endure at the hands of Darken Rahl before they’d been able to save her. “I’m sorry, Richard,” he finally said. “I’m afraid that my attempts to unlock her memories have only caused a backlash of sorts.”

“It’s not your fault, Zedd,” Richard reassured him. “You were only trying to help. Besides, you had no way of knowing this was going to happen.”

“I know, but this is worse for Kahlan than if she never got her memories back,” Zedd grumbled. “It’s no way to suddenly remember parts of her life through nightmares without having them twisted and warped like that.”

“I just wish we could stop the nightmares,” he admitted. “She’s not only exhausted, but she’s afraid to go to sleep now.”

“Poor thing,” Zedd murmured. “Let me talk to Odo and see if there’s something we can come up with to help her.”

“I’d appreciate anything you can think of,” Richard replied, turning at the sudden sound of Kahlan crying.

Richard and Zedd quickly entered to find Kahlan sitting up with her blanket wrapped around her, her knees drawn up and her arms embracing her legs. She was trembling uncontrollably, tears like a waterfall down her face. 

Richard immediately went to her, kneeling down and pulling her into his arms. “It’s alright,” he told her.

“I’m going to go talk to Odo now,” Zedd announced as he turned to leave to allow them some privacy.

Richard held her as she struggled to regain control, her breathing erratic as she clung to him. “What was it this time?”

“Demos Rahl,” she choked out, pressing her face further into the crook of his neck, her tears trickling down his bare chest. “He was trying to take you away from me.”

Richard could feel her tighten her hold on him as if afraid that he’d just disappear into thin air. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he attempted to reassure her. “I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

“Please don’t go after him,” she pleaded with him as she pulled away to look into his face. “We need to stay as far away from him as possible.”

Her eyes were wild with panic, her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath. He took her face in his hands. “Kahlan, you need to calm down,” he sternly told her. “Nothing is going to happen to me”

“You…you don’t know that,” she insisted, shaking her head as her tears feel faster. “Demos is powerful and he wants you, Richard. He’s not going to give up until he finally has you.”

“Kahlan, we will deal with Demos later,” he firmly stated. “Right now, I’m more worried about you and getting your memories back. You can’t keep going on like this with these nightmares every night. They’re just twisting events and making things worse.”

“Stop worrying about me all the time and worry about yourself for once,” she snapped, her frustration spiraling out of control. “I’m fine, Richard, but I won’t be if I end up losing you.”

Richard pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. “Do you trust me, Kahlan?” he asked, breathless from the kiss.

“Of course I trust you, Richard, but…”

“Then trust me in this, Kahlan,” he said. “Trust me to get us through this and to handle Demos.”

Kahlan’s shoulders sank as she stared into warm brown eyes filled with such love it overwhelmed her sometimes. “Alright,” she finally whispered, allowing him to pull her into his embrace again. “I’m sorry.”

Richard tilted his head to kiss the top of her hair as he tightened his arms around her. “You never have to apologize to me.”

“But you haven’t gotten much sleep the last two nights because of me,” she pointed out. “Why don’t you stay here and sleep while I go down to the hot springs to get cleaned up?”

Richard sat up straighter, suddenly feeling more awake. “No, I think I had better accompany you to get cleaned up. It might be dangerous.”

Kahlan pulled back, her lips quirking into a smile as she stood to her feet and began searching for her clothes that Richard had removed last night. “I’m pretty sure I can find it myself. You really should get some sleep especially if we’re still planning on leaving today.”

“Kahlan,” Richard said, grabbing his pack and slinging it onto his shoulder. “If I have to choose between making love to you in the hot spring or sleep, I’ll choose you every single time.”

Kahlan paused at the door, a frown on her lips. “Who said I was going to let you make love to me in the springs?”

The Seeker’s face fell in disappointment as he came to an abrupt stop. “You really don’t want me to?”

She attempted to school her features into an impassive expression. Unfortunately, Richard was too handsome to resist, a mischeivious grin cracking through. “Always, Richard,” she replied. “I love the way that you make me feel when we make love. I feel so safe, so loved when I’m with you. It’s the most amazing pleasure that I think I’ve ever experienced.” 

His hands reached for her hips as he roughly pulled her against his hard body. “Maybe I should just take you right here…right now,” he threatened, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. “You have no idea what you do to me, how deeply I truly love you, Kahlan.”

“I have a pretty good idea,” she teased with a soft gasp as he bucked his hips hard against hers. “I don’t know what you see in me or why you chose to love me. From what I remember and what has happened to us so far, it seems to me that I’ve done nothing but cause you heartache and trouble.”

“No, Kahlan,” he adamantly insisted. “Yes, it hurts me to see you hurting and struggling, but knowing and love you has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. Nothing could ever change that.”

His special smile graced her lips as she pressed them to his. “I’m pretty sure you’re the best part of me. I don’t want to remember the parts of my life that don’t include you.”

Richard suddenly kissed her with a ferocity that surprised them both, stealing her breath. Kahlan pulled back, her hands continuing to roam over his perfectly sculpted chest. “Race you to the hot springs,” she breathlessly challenged him before playfully pushing him back to give herself a head start.

He watched as she darted out of the Spirit House like a gazelle, taking him by surprise, leaving him fully aroused and desperate for more. It was definitely hard to worry about Demos Rahl when she kept putting a smile on his face and bringing him unspeakable pleasure, but he knew that he was going to have to face him sooner or later.

Unfortunately, he had a dreadful feeling it was going to be sooner than he’d like.

XXX

“Richard,” Zedd said, laying a hand on his grandson’s shoulder. “I think it’s worth a shot.”

The Seeker frowned as he considered what his grandfather and Odo had suggested. It caused sick dread to churn in the pit of his stomach as he remembered the last time they had tried it. “I don’t know, Zedd,” he replied, his reticence obvious. “The last time they tried contracting their ancestor’s spirits it didn’t go well at all.”

“What happened?” Zedd asked.

“Darken Rahl showed up,” he informed him. “You can imagine how well that went. It was because of him that we found out about the marking spell that Demos had put on Kahlan.”

“And it turned out to be far more than just a simple marking spell,” Zedd said with disgust in his voice. “I can see why you’d be reluctant to try it again, but Odo seems to think that consulting their spirit ancestors might be able to provide some answers for Kahlan.”

“How are Aku spirits ancestors going to be able to help?” Richard asked, exasperated.

“Odo is only trying to help, Richard,” he calmly replied. “He’s hoping that their tribe’s spirits might be able to tell us how to unlock her memories and stop the nightmares.”

“I know,” he agreed, raking his fingers back through his brown hair in frustration. “I’m just scared if we try anything else we could end up making things even worse for Kahlan. Not to mention, we risk Darken Rahl showing up again.”

“I have a feeling there’s going to be a risk no matter what we try from here on out for Kahlan,” the wizard informed him. “She can’t go on living like this reliving her life through her nightmares.”

Richard’s jaw was clenched tightly, his hands balled into fists as he leaned forward, attempting to weigh their options. He wished he could just snap his fingers and be back in Aydindril searching for what they needed to remove Demos’s spell, but it wasn’t that easy. It never was.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back a headache that he could feel coming on. “We’ll have to let Kahlan make the decision,” he finally decided.

“What decision do I have to make?” Kahlan asked as she sat down beside Richard, handing him a plate of food.

“Odo thinks that calling a gathering to meet with the Aku ancestors’ spirits might be able to provide some answers to help you,” Zedd told her.

“And you’re against it?” she asked as she looked at Richard, noticing the scowl on his face. “Why? Are you worried that something bad is going to happen?”

“It’s not that I’m totally against it,” he admitted. “It’s just that we tried something like this before and Demos’s twin brother Darken Rahl showed up from the Underworld.”

“He didn’t hurt us did he?”

“No, he was in spirit form, but it upset you and I don’t want to put you through that again,” Richard revealed.

“Darken Rahl did something terrible to me, didn’t he?” she questioned him with a frown.

“You died for a short period of time and were trapped in the Underworld with him,” he informed her. “He attacked you and tried to rape you, but we brought you back to life before he could finish.”

Kahlan visibly trembled with the revelation as she stared down at the plate of food on her lap. “Oh…I see,” she murmured, pulling a raven lock behind her ear. “So that nightmare I had last night was Darken Rahl trying to rape me not this Wizard Giller.”

Zedd came to sit on the other side of Kahlan, his hand coming to rest on her knee. “He can’t touch you here, my dear. There’s nothing to fear.”

Kahlan drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “Why do your brothers want me so bad?” she asked, turning to Richard. “I’m not anyone special.”

“Kahlan, you’re absolutely beautiful for starters,” he told her like it was more than obvious. “They know that I love you more than anything so they want you so they can hurt me.”

“And you’re the most powerful Mother Confessor who has ever lived since the first Magda Searus,” Zedd added.

“I don’t even remember what a Confessor is,” she snapped. “How am I supposed to lead the Midlands when I don’t remember anything about it or myself? That is why I need to try this no matter the outcome.”

“I don’t like this,” the Seeker coldly stated as he stood to his feet. “I think we’re asking for more trouble by doing it. I’d rather get you to Aydindril and see what Zedd can do.”

“And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to break this spell Demos has on me that is keeping my memories locked away,” she angrily shot back as she leapt to her feet as well. “As long as Demos has this hold on me, we’ll never truly be rid of him. He’ll always be there with us and I will not live like that.”

She turned and walked away leaving her untouched lunch behind. Richard sat down in heated frustration, his stomach as well as his heart in his boots. There was going to be no talking her out of it. Once her mind was made up that was almost always the end of the argument.

“Well, I guess I’ll tell Odo that we’re going to go ahead with the gathering this afternoon,” Zedd finally said, his voice cutting through the thick tension that lingered in the air. “I know you’re worried about her, Richard, but it is ultimately her decision. If we can discover something through this then I think it’s worth trying. There’s no guarantee that the Wizard’s Keep will hold the answers we need.”

Richard slowly nodded his head unable to make his voice work at that moment as he picked at his plate of food. He suddenly had no appetite as he thought about having to see Darken Rahl again, leering at Kahlan and making threats and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

He just hoped it would be worth it in the end, giving them some sort of solution to this horrible spell that refused to be broken.

XXX

Cara made her way through the village with a resolute mission in mind – trying to gather as many supplies as she could so they could leave soon. They should have been gone with the rising of the sun this morning, but that obviously hadn’t happened as of yet. 

It still amazed her to no end that no one else seemed to be the least bit worried about getting to Aydindril or what Demos could be up to at this very moment. It was already lunch and they still hadn’t made any effort to gather their things or say their goodbyes to anyone.

With a huffing curse under her breath and a scowl on her lips, she stalked through the Aku village searching for the Seeker so they could leave. Coming around one of the Aku huts, she noticed Kahlan coming towards her.

The Mord’Sith’s insides instantly tightened at the sight of her. Since she had woken, things had been rather tense and uncomfortable between them. She had given Kahlan space as she tried to adjust to things, fighting to recover what had been stolen from her. 

She had hoped that with time the Confessor would come to remember her more, recalling the more honorable moments that they had shared and not the horrible things that Cara had done. She feared that Kahlan had remembered something about her, remembered how she had taken her sister Dennee’s life and that was why she always looked at her with fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

She also didn’t want her friend to relieve that pain all over again, have to deal with the sorrow and heartache that her actions had inflicted upon her. She knew she was being selfish, but at the same time she finally had a real family, one that truly cared about her. She hadn’t had something like that since she’d been taken from her real family.

While the Mord’Sith had been Sisters, it had been a bond forged through terror and torture, an allegiance that could turn in a heartbeat. And it had, her Sisters of the Agiel turning on her, beating her and leaving her for dead.

Right now, though, the Mother Confessor looked extremely upset. Even with her head down, Kahlan looked furious, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Cara knew she needed to see what was wrong or they were never going to get out of here.

Drawing a deep breath, Cara made her way to her, almost certain that Richard had been the one who had said or done something to upset her. “Kahlan, what’s wrong?” she asked as she approached.

Looking up, Kahlan came to an abrupt stop, startled by the Mord’Sith’s unexpected appearance. “It’s just Richard,” she said with a huff of annoyance.

The Mord’Sith folded her arms against her chest, keeping a little distance between them in order to not scare her off. “What did he do now?”

“He’s always trying to coddle and protect me,” she groused. “He doesn’t want me to do this spirit gathering that Odo said we should try to help me get my memories back.”

“Why doesn’t he want to do it?”

“I guess we did something like this before when we first arrived here and Darken Rahl showed up,” she told her. “I guess it upset me because he tried to rape me when I was in the Underworld, but I don’t remember any of it so it shouldn’t matter now.”

Cara thought about it for a long moment, annoyed that they were trying to do a spirit gathering now when they were trying to get out of here and back to Aydindril. As much as she wanted Kahlan to get her memories back, she still held a measure of fear of how she would react to her if she knew what she had done. Would she still forgive her?

“It’s only because Richard loves you so much, Kahlan,” Cara finally said. “He doesn’t want to see you hurt again. None of us do.”

“But Darken Rahl can’t hurt me anymore,” Kahlan replied with a shake of her head. “Richard and Zedd both said that if he does show up again, he’s in spirit form. He can’t hurt me or anyone else.”

“Richard’s probably afraid that if you see him again, it will bring back more bad memories for you,” Cara offered.

“Isn’t that better than to not remember anything at all or these nightmares that won’t let me sleep?”

Cara pursed her lips, her heart heavy. “Sometimes there are things that are better not to remember.”

Kahlan studied her, her blue eyes narrowing. The Mord’Sith suddenly looked somewhat sad, apprehensive. It was so unlike the brusque, confident façade that usually exuded from her, the fearsome exterior that she frequently wore.

“Is there something that you three don’t want me to remember?” she tentatively asked, her forehead creased with worry.

Cara drew a deep breath before finally responding. “There were some things that have happened to you in your life, Kahlan, things that you will probably wish you hadn’t remembered when we get your memories back for you. As a Confessor, you’ve been forced to endure and face many difficulties so far, a life filled with more than your fair share of strife and heartache. None of us want to watch you have to relive that pain.”

It suddenly felt like ice water trickling through her veins as she listened to Cara, the solemnity in her green eyes telling her that the Mord’Sith was being very honest with her. Although it scared her to think of what she could be referring to, she found that she appreciated her truthfulness.

Although she felt that Richard had never lied to her since all of this began, she felt at times as though he was trying to shield her from the truth of her life, attempting to protect her from what had happened to her. She knew he was only doing it because he loved her so much, but as difficult as it was going to be, she wanted to know everything about herself, her life.

“What happened to me?” she softly pleaded, desperate for answers.

Cara felt her throat constrict as tears began to shine brightly in Kahlan’s eyes, the fear and confusion in her almost whispered plea enough to break the Mord’Sith’s heart. Her friend had been through so very much, suffering in life in some ways as much as Cara herself had. It was a common bond that they shared and that Cara secretly treasured. 

They had both endured so much throughout their lives and yet they had both overcome it all, fought for a better way and had come out even stronger for it.

“Your life hasn’t been one long nightmare,” Cara told her, hoping to ease her anxiety some. “There have been some very good times too, especially with Richard.”

“I want to remember so badly,” Kahlan softly confessed, averting her eyes as the tears began to escape. “Even though I know some things will hurt, I want to know what happened to me, Cara. Everything that has happened throughout my life has shaped me, had helped to make me who I am today. I’m so tired of not knowing who I am.”

“I know exactly who you are,” Cara firmly said, taking a step closer and grabbing hold of the Confessor’s upper arms. “You are Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor...the last of the Confessors. You are a smart, strong, confident woman who can handle anything that comes at her…and you’re my friend.

“Go ahead with this spirit gathering because you want to and don’t worry about Richard. You know he’ll be there by your side the whole way. He’s like a pathetic lovesick little puppy following you around anyway.”

Kahlan threw herself into the Mord’Sith’s arms, hugging her tightly and taking Cara by surprise. “Thank you, Cara,” she whispered. “You’re a good friend, aren’t you?”

Cara swallowed hard, her arms slowly sliding around the Confessor and returning the embrace. If Kahlan only knew the truth, she wouldn’t be hugging her right now and definitely wouldn’t be calling her a friend.

XXX

Demos gasped in rapture as he buried himself deep within Mistress Sabina in one vicious stroke, fully sheathing himself to the hilt and nearly coming apart right there. Sabina cried out at the sudden violent intrusion, her fingers curling around the edge of the wooden desk that he had her bent over. 

He gritted his teeth, a long sharp hiss escaping with how tight she was around him. He reached forward to grip her long black braid, yanking hard and wrenching her neck back. Her body bowed with the sudden fierce movement, her breasts thrusting out as his teeth sunk deep into her shoulder. 

She cried out again at the painful angle he had her body locked in, her breaths coming in hot exerted gasps for air as he began to ruthlessly take her. Her fingernails dug even deeper into the desk, leaving groves in the wood as tears filled her throat and blurred her vision.

Demos pulled harder on her thick braid, winding it around his hand, her neck near breaking as he continued to thrust into her. “You’re mine, Kahlan,” he breathlessly growled in her ear. “Mine…only mine. Richard…is nothing…and I’m going…to prove it to you.”

“Yes…my lord,” Sabrina choked out, fighting back the tears that came harder and faster as he inched her and the desk across the floor with his brutal assault.

He had grown more and more violent with every punishing session together; making her wonder if she would even survive the next time. He had unfortunately become more than fascinated with her, probably because she resembled the Mother Confessor more than the other Sisters of the Agiel.

There was a part of her that actually felt pity for the Mother Confessor, knowing firsthand what lay in store for her once she was finally captured. If she knew what lay in store for her, Kahlan would take her own life now before Demos could get his perverse hands on her.

“I…will…break…you…Kahlan…Amnell…” he breathlessly punctuated each word with a ruthless thrust as he lustfully grunted and growled with the perverted pleasure that roared through his veins. He didn’t know how much longer he could wait until Kahlan was finally here…until she was fully his in every way imaginable. “Beg me…for more…”

“More…please…my lord…I…I want…mo…more…of you…” she managed to utter between each spearing thrust that she swore was going to rip her body in two.

“As…you…wish…” he grunted with pleasure.

Her screams could be heard echoing outside of the throne room and down the corridor, the guards internally cringing at the sounds. After all of this time, they should have become more than accustomed to the horrifying sounds that they heard coming from behind the Lord Rahl’s closed doors, but his cruelty still never ceased to astound even them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 10

Kahlan entered the dimly lit gathering hut followed closely by Richard, Zedd, and Cara. Richard was still whole-heartedly against this, but he knew that this was ultimately Kahlan’s decision. He just hoped that he could protect her from the pain that he knew was about to come and any memories that might surface because of it.

He settled down on a wooden bench directly beside her, sensing the apprehension that was rolling off of her in waves. He also knew that she was still angry with him and he could hardly blame her. He was having a very difficult time with all of this, desperate to protect her from anymore heartache and yet wanting to help her regain her memories. It was a difficult struggle he just couldn’t contain or win.

Cara and Zedd settled on the bench next to Richard as Tolla Nakunam entered with Odo, Mitta and the Council of the Elders who took their seats on the opposite side of the hut. Mitta swiftly moved to the middle of the gathering to stand next to the blue and green blazing fire that burned brightly, the sweet smoky scent of the wood filling the gathering hut.

Kahlan began to feel a wave of lightheadedness wash over her the longer she was there, the smoke growing thicker as Mitta began to chant indecipherable words that made little sense to her. She moved her hands from her lap to the bench on either side of her, her fingers curling nervously around the edge of the rough wood beneath her. She was beginning to second guess her decision to do this.

She felt her skin as it began to tingle, her vision tunneling as the image of Mitta and the fire shimmered and danced before her. She swallowed hard as she tightened her grip on the edge of the bench, her breathing growing ragged.

Everyone in the hut suddenly seemed to grow distant, the smoke becoming thicker as Kahlan fought to remain conscious. Her mind was spinning like a cyclone, her stomach churning like rough waters of a stormy sea as she clenched her jaw. Bile rose and burned in the back of her throat, but she fought it back down refusing to allow it come.

She had insisted on going through with this gathering and she was going to see it through to the bitter end, no matter what that end was. She needed her memories back and nothing else was working to unlock them.

Richard could feel Kahlan growing tenser with every passing moment, could sense the fierce struggle inside of her. His hand instinctively reached out for hers, pulling it free from the bench to hold it firmly in his. He wasn’t going to let her go nor was he going to allow her to endure this alone. He was going to help her through this no matter what.

“I’m right here, Kahlan,” he softly reassured her.

Mitta continued to chant her ancient Aku words; the timbre of her voice growing louder and yet more distant at the same time as she slowly disappeared from sight. The familiar sensation of being surrounded by an unseen presence began to well up within Richard again, reminding him of what had happened the last time.

His other hand fell to the hilt of his sword resting at his hip, knowing it was useless in a situation like this and yet feeling a little more secure knowing it was there and ready at a moment’s notice. Even though he could no longer see them, he knew that Zedd and Cara were there to his right, ready to help if needed. It brought him a small measure of comfort knowing they were here with them this time.

The spirits of the Aku who had passed on suddenly filled the gathering hut, shadowy spirits hovering around them and speaking in hushed whispers and moans. It made his skin crawl, the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickling in response. It felt as if there were thousands of hands running over him, touching him and trying to pull at him.

It was as though a thousand voices were whispering their secrets to him. It made him tingle all over. He wanted to run away, escape the overwhelming sensations that were swarming over and around and through him, but he couldn’t. He needed to stay here for Kahlan. 

He felt Kahlan’s hand tighten around his, her fingers practically digging into his skin. He wanted to stop all of this, make the madness go away, but he felt nearly paralyzed by whatever was happening here. He could hear Kahlan’s breathing growing more erratic, more labored by the moment.

He needed to hold her, wanted to make sure that she was alright, but he couldn’t make his body work as the voices began to grow louder. Murmured indecipherable words morphed into dark tormented wails that caused his insides to twist and tighten. 

He could feel the magic of the sword coming alive in response to the magic that swarmed so powerfully inside the gathering hut. He wondered how Zedd and Cara were fairing through this. Whatever answers they were supposed to receive from this would hopefully come sooner than later. He didn’t know how much longer he could take the forces that seemed to be pulling at him from every side and yet crushing him.

Kahlan could feel hot tears beginning to trickle down her face and dripping from her chin. She tried to tamp down on the fear swelling inside of her knowing that she had wanted to do this in order to find a way to get her memories back. She’d do whatever it took to restore her life, to get back what had been stolen from her not only for herself but for Richard. She owed him that much.

She couldn’t stop the icy shiver that suddenly tore through her, doing her best to ignore the feeling as though thousands of hands were touching her, running their fingers through her hair and over her skin. She leaned forward and grabbed her head, wishing that it would all just end.

A sudden bright light flashed before her eyes nearly blinding her as the dark outline of a man coming towards her took shape in the midst of the smoke. She instantly went rigid, knowing that this must be Darken Rahl. She steeled herself as he drew closer, refusing to let him intimidate her.

He was the spitting image of his twin Demos down to the black hair and goatee, the evil glint in his dark eyes as he stared solely at her. It felt like he could see right into her very soul, peeling back all of the layers and forcing himself into her mind.

“Kahlan Amnell,” Darken drawled with pleasure as he grinned wickedly at her, his eyes roaming over her. “So good to see you again. It’s been far too long.”

“Not nearly long enough,” she bit out as she leapt to her feet, Richard right there by her side in less than a heartbeat.

Darken chuckled with her hostility. “So you do remember me after all?”

“Enough,” she stated with a sneer.

“I hope you remember all the good times that we’ve shared and not the times that we fought,” he playfully teased with a pout.

“What do you want, Rahl?” Richard demanded, clutching Kahlan’s hand in his.

“I just wanted to see how our dear Kahlan was holding up what with the nasty little spell our brother put on her. I guess when I told you he had placed a marking spell on her I had failed to mention it was a multi-layer spell, but I guess you’ve figured it out by now.”

Richard took a threatening step towards him, wanting to get his hands on him more than anything and yet knowing there was nothing he could do to stop him. “Why are you here?”

“Just a social visit,” Darken said as he stared at Kahlan. “I wanted to see how Kahlan was coping without her memories and to let you know that I will be seeing you both very soon.”

Richard bristled with his brother’s words, the words of the prophecy echoing in his mind. “We don’t intend on going to the Underworld any time soon.”

A sly grin spread across Darken Rahl’s face, his image shimmering in the blue-green fire that surrounded him. “I am not talking about you. I’m the one who will be getting out of the Underworld and when I do I am coming after the two of you.”

“There is no way for you to escape from the Underworld,” Richard declared with self-assurance, his hand finding the hilt of his sword, his other still clutching Kahlan’s in a death-grip.

Rahl chuckled as he clasped his hands in front of him. “Oh, there is a way, my dear brother, and I have found it. It’s only a matter of time now and when I am finally free, I’m going to rid the world of the Seeker, Mother Confessor, and my twin brother Demos. No one will stand in my way ever again.”

“I will do whatever it takes to make sure you never leave the Underworld,” Richard ground out.

Rahl just stared at him with great pleasure, knowing he was getting under his brother’s skin. He could see doubt beginning to fill the Seeker’s intense gaze, uncertainty about whether he could really escape the Underworld or not.

“There is a deadly storm coming, brother, and I’m afraid that it’s coming for you,” Darken ominously revealed, his dark gaze shifting to Kahlan, a leering smirk on his lips. “Enjoy her while you can because she will soon be taken from you and there will be nothing you can do to stop it.”

Richard lunged at him with a growl, his teeth clenched with fury. “You will never touch her again.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Rahl avowed. “You two can run, but you will soon be found by someone that neither of you can defeat. You cannot escape what is about to come for you.”

The Seeker felt an icy shiver lance through him, Darken’s words causing cold fear to course through his veins. If someone was truly coming for him and Kahlan, he needed to get her to Aydindril as soon as possible where she would be safe.

He couldn’t allow anything to happen to her. Losing her meant losing his very life.

Before Richard could even form a response, Darken Rahl disappeared from view. Kahlan released Richard’s hand, backing up to sit down on the bench again. She held her head in her hands as she leaned forward, the things that Rahl had said to them rattling her to her very core.

Someone was coming for them, coming to take Richard away from her. She couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to him, losing the one thing in this world that made her feel whole and complete regardless of her lack of memory. He was her rock, holding her together when it felt like everything else in her life was crumbling down around her.

Feeling someone in front of her, Kahlan lifted her head to look into Richard’s worried face, his dark brown eyes filled with such love it made her heart stutter in her chest as the thick smoke slowly began to dissipate around them. 

“Kahlan, it’ll be alright,” he gently reassured her, his fingers wrapping around her upper arms. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“It’s not me that I’m worried about,” she replied, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. “They’re coming for you too, Richard. I couldn’t bear it if something happens to you.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” he swore to her, his gaze intense, his voice hard as steel. “We need to get you to Aydindril, though, as soon as possible. The sooner I can get you there, the safer you will be.”

“Are you two alright?” Zedd asked, worry permeating his voice. “What happened?”

Richard stood to his feet to face Zedd, Cara, and Tolla who had gathered around them. “Darken Rahl showed up again.”

“Bags!” Zedd angrily cursed. “What did he want this time?”

“He said he’s found a way to escape the Underworld,” Richard informed them. “He also said that there is a storm coming for us, someone we won’t be able to defeat this time.”

“We need to leave for Aydindril right now,” Cara stated, folding her arms against her chest. “You’ll both be safer there.”

“I agree with Cara,” Zedd confirmed. “You’ll have the backing of the entire Aydindril army. Did Rahl give any clue as to who was coming for you?”

“No…nothing more,” Richard ground out, raking his fingers back through his hair. “Even though he’s dead and in the Underworld, Darken Rahl still manages to interfere in our lives.”

The fury that simmered just beneath the surface was more than palpable, the Seeker’s raptor gaze practically burning through the smoke that still lingered within the gathering hut. They understood his anger and frustration, shared it.

“Were you able to get any answers about Confessor Kahlan’s memories?” Tolla asked, hoping that something good may have come out of this gathering.

“I have a vague memory of being in this place before for a gathering with Richard,” Kahlan revealed, wiping the tears from her face as she stood to her feet. “Darken Rahl appeared to us then, but I’m afraid that’s all that I remember about it.”

“Hey, that’s something, Kahlan,” Richard told her, sensing that she was holding something more back. “We’ll keep working at it until we get them all back. Right now, though, I think we better leave for Aydindril.”

“It’ll have to be in the morning,” Tolla informed them. “It’s already nightfall. It will be far too dangerous to try to leave now.”

“We’ll leave at sunrise tomorrow then,” the Seeker agreed.

“I’ll double patrol outside of the village tonight just to be safe,” Tolla decided. “Let’s get you all something to eat so you can get a good night’s rest before you need to leave tomorrow.”

“Now that sounds like a good idea to me,” Zedd agreed with a grin as he rubbed his belly. “I’m absolutely famished.”

“When aren’t you famished, Wizard?” Cara scowled as they began to make their way out of the gathering hut.

“I must admit that I am very saddened by the fact that you all will be leaving us tomorrow,” Tolla confessed. “I understand your need to leave, but you have all become like family to us.”

Richard’s hand came to rest on Tolla’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “I know,” he admitted. “I feel the same way. I wish we didn’t have to leave either.”

There was a part of him that wished he could just take the whole village with them to Aydindril, but he knew that was impossible. He promised himself once Demos had been destroyed and he and Kahlan were married, they would come back to visit the Aku.

Right now, though, he had to focus on this horrible storm that was about to converge on them.

XXX

Richard returned to the Spirit House after talking to Tolla Nakunam about the best route to take in the morning to avoid any more entanglements with the D’Haran soldiers. He had told him about a route that would lead them through the woods to the west and away from where they’d last seen Demos’s men. It was rougher terrain and thicker woods, but it would hopefully keep them concealed.

Entering, he found Kahlan sitting before the fire, lost in her thoughts. The brooding expression on her face told him that she was struggling with what had happened in the gathering hut, her focus only on the orange flames before her.

He stood there for several moments just watching her, wondering if she even knew that he was there with her. She looked so beautiful sitting there, the flames of the fire casting a warm glow over her flawless features. He felt an overwhelming pull in the pit of his stomach drawing him to her, wanting her again.

“Kahlan,” he called to her as he closed the distance, coming to sit down beside her. “Are you alright?”

She slowly shook her head, her throat suddenly constricting tightly and making it difficult to breathe. “No,” she murmured, her bottom lip trembling with the fear that still coursed through her. “I’m so sorry I made you go through that gathering, Richard. Because of me, you had to see Darken Rahl again…and now there’s someone coming after you.”

“It’s not your fault that Darken Rahl showed up or that Demos is sending someone after us,” Richard reassured her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. “I know you don’t remember it yet, but there has always been someone chasing us ever since the day we first met. In fact, you were being chased by a D’Haran Quad when I first laid eyes on you.”

“I remember you told me about that day,” she admitted. “I wish I could remember it.”

“What is it, Kahlan?” he asked her, brushing her hair away from her face. “There’s something more that you’re not telling me.”

Kahlan turned her head away from him, her eyes glistening with a fresh wash of tears. “I…I remembered something about what Darken Rahl did to me when I was in the Underworld.”

Richard froze, his insides twisting knowing now that she remembered the horrifying things that Rahl had done to her…what he had been about to do to her. “What exactly do you remember?”

“I don’t remember everything that happened,” she explained, real fear creeping into her voice as a tear slipped silently down her cheek. “When Rahl appeared in the gathering house this afternoon, I just remembered flashes of him…touching me…in places I didn’t want him to. I couldn’t make him stop no matter what I did.”

“It’s okay, Kahlan,” he gently told her. “You don’t have to tell me anymore. I already know what he did to you because you told me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, turning to face him again.

The hurt in her eyes was almost too much to bear as she stared at him waiting for an answer. He gently brushed away the tear with his thumb as he fought for the words to explain it to her. “There’s so much that has happened to you…to us over the years. I don’t even know where to start sometimes. I should’ve warned you before we went in there, but I honestly didn’t know if you would remember or not.”

“I remember the fear, the humiliation…the embarrassment,” she murmured. “I remember wanting him to stop hurting him, but he…he…”

“Kahlan,” he whispered as he pulled her into his arms. “Don’t…please. I don’t want you to relive that.”

“I can’t do this, Richard,” she softly said as she tightened her hold on him. “I don’t know if I want to know what else I’ve been through if it’s like what Darken Rahl did to me. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to relive all of this.”

“You are the strongest woman I have ever met, Kahlan,” he reassured her, rubbing her back. “If anyone can handle this, it’s you, but you don’t have to do it alone. I’m going to be right here with you.”

“How much longer is this nightmare going to last?” she asked as she pulled back to look into his eyes. “When will we be left alone to just live the life that we want in peace?”

Richard shook his head as his heart broke with her questions, her voice thick with the pain she carried inside of her. “I truly wish that I knew, Kahlan, but I promise that I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we have that future together that we want.”

She released a long slow breath, fighting to rein in her fears and frustrations. She needed to be strong right now no matter how she felt her world was collapsing on the inside. She pressed her forehead to his, her eyes falling closed as she just savored his presence and absorbed his strength.

“Make love to me, Richard,” she murmured, her hand coming to rest against the side of his face, his stubble rough against the palm of her hand. “Please…I need you so much right now.”

The pleading note to her voice reached down deep into his soul. Kahlan’s deep-seated need for him resonated with his own desperate need for her, overwhelming him and pushing him over the edge. His fingers quickly tangled in her thick hair, his lips capturing hers in response to her request, aching to ease her heartache and find solace in one another’s embrace.

Kahlan tilted her head and parted her lips, desperate to give herself fully to him in every way all over again. She needed to feel his strength, his love and his passion for her, to feel every single bit of him filling her so very full. She needed to know that everything was going to be alright if only for a little while though they both knew it was far from it right now.

The kiss started out sweet and tender, reassuring and comforting. The slow sensual slide of his tongue repeatedly against hers was driving her crazy with a building need for more from him. She shifted closer to him, crawling into his lap and allowing her knees to come to rest on either side of his hips.

Richard’s hands slipped from her luscious hair to wrap around her waist as their kisses grew more passionate…demanding. Kahlan cupped his face with her hands as she rose up on her knees, silently imploring him to touch her where she wanted him most, filling the hollow ache between her legs.

He knew exactly what she wanted and he didn’t make her wait as his fingers moved to softly caress her thighs before pushing her blue dress up to bunch around her waist. His hands gripped her backside firmly, squeezing her repeatedly as she continued to kiss him, her tongue thoroughly exploring every square inch of his mouth.

Richard groaned as he found her slick wet heat, turning him on even more as his fingers easily slipped inside of her. She was already more than ready for him. It wasn’t going to take much to bring her to completion, but he was going to fully enjoy every single moment of pleasuring her.

He set a slow steady rhythm as they continued to kiss and touch, her hands gripping his face even harder as her hips began to move with him. She wanted so much more. Deeper…faster…harder. Her lips suddenly broke away from his with a sharp gasp, her breaths coming shorter and quicker as he increased his tempo.

His other hand moved to the tie of her dress, pulling it to free her perfect breasts and tossing it aside. His mouth immediately captured her nipple, raking his teeth over the pink flesh before sucking hard and causing her to cry out. Her body began to tremble as he continued to work her into a heated frenzy, desperately trying to ignore the painfully hard arousal in his pants.

Kahlan threw her head back, her raven hair cascading down her spine as she rocked on her knees. Her breaths were coming hard and fast now, her heart about to pound out of her chest as he suckled her breast, his fingers skillfully finding that spot deep inside of her that always made her scream.

“Rich…ard…” she panted, her chest heaving as a hot flush crept over her fair skin with the rapture that he was building inside of her. 

Her hands moved to grip his shoulders, her fingers curling into the soft blue fabric of his shirt as she clutched at him. “Richard…please…” she whimpered, sweat glistening on her skin. “I need you…inside of me…now.”

“I am inside of you,” he teased her as he placed biting kisses along her bare shoulder.

Kahlan growled low in her throat, a groan of disappointment escaping as his fingers left her body. “You…you know what I mean…what I want.”

Richard reached down to unlace his pants as Kahlan removed his shirt, more than anxious to feel his skin pressed against hers. She sat back on her heels long enough for him to remove his pants and boots before she quickly settled on his lap once more.

The feel of his hard arousal beneath her was almost too much to bear. She wanted him inside of her now, to feel every ounce of his passion in his every stroke. Her hands found his shoulders again, her lips devouring his as she ground her hips against his.

The feel of her moist heat rubbing against him was driving him insane as his hands seized hold of her waist to halt her movements. His mouth latched onto the point where her shoulder met her neck, sucking hard and causing her to gasp.

His hands splayed over her back as he swiftly laid her back on the bedroll, shifting his hips and sheathing himself in one powerful thrust. Kahlan’s entire body instantly bowed, her neck arching and her eyes rolling back in her head as she cried out in ecstasy at the feel of him so hard and hot inside of her.

She dug her fingernails into his back as she clung to him, pressing her breasts into his chest as he began to move. She lifted her long legs, drawing her knees up closer against her body and allowing him to sink even further inside of her. She didn’t think he could get any deeper and yet he had managed to, neither knowing where one ended and the other began as they became one in every way.

All of the fears and frustrations, the questions and uncertainties were rapidly forced away from her heart and mind with every powerful slam of his hips against hers as he poured everything he felt into her. Nothing else mattered in that sweet moment except for her and him and the love they were expressing.

They were going to get through this one way or another and nothing was going to tear them apart.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 11

“I don’t even know how I can begin to thank you for all that you and your people have done for us,” Richard said as he shook the Aku leader’s hand.

“No thank you is needed, Seeker Richard,” Tolla told him with a shake of his head. “I wish you could stay with us, but I understand your need to leave. I hope Confessor Kahlan will be well again soon.”

“Me too,” Richard agreed, casting a sidelong glance at the woman who owned his heart. “We will come back to visit you someday.”

“Maybe you will be bringing your children with you at that time,” Tolla teased, clapping him firmly on the shoulder with a knowing grin. “She should be with child by now as much love as you two have shared already.”

Richard tried to contain his own grin, but failed miserably. “I’d love nothing more.”

“Be safe in your journey,” Tolla told him, “and if you ever need help, you always know where to come.”

“I do,” Richard agreed with a nod, “and if there’s ever anything you need, you know you are always welcome in Aydindril.”

“Thank you,” Tolla replied with a glint of mischief in his dark eyes. “Do not be surprised if I show up at your door someday.”

“I truly hope you do,” the Seeker told him.

Richard turned to Kahlan who was saying goodbye to Caref. It was more than difficult having to say goodbye to these friends, but he needed to get her to safety before he lost her forever to whatever his brothers had sent after them. He shuddered to think of what it could be this time.

“We better get moving,” Richard told Kahlan, his hand instinctively reaching for her, a sudden overwhelming need to just touch her washing over him.

She gave him the special smile that she reserved only for him as she followed him to where Zedd and Cara were waiting for them, impatience written all over the Mord’Sith’s face. He knew she was chomping at the bit to get out of here and on their way to Aydindril.

“Are we finally ready?” Cara huffed, never one to hide her annoyance.

“Yes, Cara,” Richard sighed. “We’re ready to go now. Did you say goodbye to your friend Temin?”

“Yes,” Cara snapped. “Now, I want Zedd in front and I’ll follow from behind with you two safely in the middle. I’m not taking any chances. I want to be ready for an ambush.”

“Cara, neither one of us is helpless,” Richard reminded her as they began to make their way into the woods that surrounded the Aku village. “Just because Kahlan doesn’t have her memories doesn’t mean that she no longer has her Confessor magic or how to use it.”

“I know that,” she shot back. “I’m still not taking any chances.”

“Just let her go,” Kahlan softly murmured to Richard. “If it makes her feel better, then I happily walk with you.”

He gave her a crooked smile as he interlaced his fingers with her. “You know I’m really going to miss that Spirit House.”

Kahlan’s cheeks grew warm with the heated look he was giving her. She hooked a raven lock behind her ear, averting her eyes in embarrassment. “There are some very treasured measures that I’ll take with me from there.”

“I told you that I’d help you make some new memories,” he reminded her with a satisfied smirk.

“Hopefully, they’ll be good memories for you too,” she said.

“You have no idea, Kahlan,” he reassured her. “I will never forget the time spent there alone with you. It was beyond incredible in every way imaginable.”

“It’s a wonder she’s not with child yet as much as you two were going at it,” Cara interjected.

“Cara,” Richard scowled, looking back at her over his shoulder.

“What?” she asked with a mischeivious shrug.

“Aren’t you supposed to be watching for trouble?”

“I am,” she claimed, her fingers circling the agiel hanging at her waist.

“Richard, are you sure it’s safe to go to Aydindril?” Kahlan asked, her forehead creased with worry. “Won’t they know that’s where we’ll go now?”

“Hopefully, we can avoid running into whoever Demos sent after us,” Richard replied, his free hand settling on the hilt of his sword resting in the scabbard at his hip. “If we can just get to Aydindril, you’ll be safe. Aydindril has a massive army that will do anything to protect the Mother Confessor.”

“I have to admit that I’m rather concerned about whatever it is Demos and Darken are up to now,” Zedd announced. “Demos is dabbling in some pretty dark occult magic. There’s no telling what trouble he’s concocted to send our way.”

“After coming face to face with those wolf creatures from the Underworld, I can’t begin to imagine how much worse it could get,” Richard bit out, internally shuddering with the memory. He had seriously thought they weren’t going to survive that encounter.

“If I ever see another one of those again, it’ll be too soon,” Kahlan agreed with a shiver. “I can’t imagine what else we’ve run into that I can’t remember.”

“Once we get to Aydindril, we’ll work on getting your memories back,” Richard promised her. “I’m not giving up until we remove that damn spell. Besides, we have a wedding to plan, Confessor.”

Kahlan smiled at him, excitement suddenly bubbling up within. “I’d love that as long as you don’t mind a wife without any memory if we can’t get it back.”

“I have never wanted anything more in my life than I’ve wanted to marry you,” he assured her.

“You two are making me sick,” Cara groused from behind. “I’m going to go scout ahead. Try to keep your eyes on your surroundings instead of each other.”

“Well that didn’t take long for her to get sick of us,” Kahlan said with a laugh.

“So what kind of wedding do you want to have?” Richard asked.

A thoughtful expression veiled her face as she considered his question. “I think something small with friends and family.”

Richard noticed the sadness that suddenly filled her blue eyes, her expression growing solemn. “What’s worry, Kahlan?”

“I don’t even know anything about my family or yours,” she softly admitted. “Do I have brothers or sisters?”

Richard averted his eyes, trying to find the words to tell her…the words that seemed to stick and burn in his throat. It was beyond difficult having to look into those blue eyes that he adored and be forced to tell her she had no one, but them…him.

“Richard, please tell me,” she coaxed him, her chest growing tight with fear. “I need to know about my family.”

He watched as Zedd walked ahead at a faster pace, giving them some space so he could talk to her which he appreciated. He reached over and took her hand in his as they continued to walk, silently providing her the strength she was going to need to hear what he had to tell her.

“Your mother was the Mother Confessor at one time,” he began, his heart already beginning to hurt with what he was about to reveal to her. “She confessed your father in order to have daughters to carry on the line of Confessors. Your mother had two daughters – you and then Dennee.”

“I have a younger sister?” Kahlan asked, her blue eyes lighting up at the thought.

“Yes,” he continued, “but I’m afraid she was killed when Darken Rahl ordered the Mord’Sith to kill all of the Confessors. I’m sorry, Kahlan, but Dennee was killed several months ago.”

Tears instantly stung her eyes with the unexpected news, her throat constricting. “What about my mother and father?” she managed to ask.

“Kahlan,” Richard said as he pulled her to a stop. “We don’t have to talk about this now. We can talk about it later tonight after we set up camp if you want.”

Kahlan swallowed hard, clearing her throat. “No, I need to know, Richard,” she stubbornly insisted. “No matter how terrible it is, it’s a part of my life…who I am.”

“Your mother died when you were four and Dennee was three,” he continued. “When she died, your father was freed from the confession. When he realized what had happened to him, he was so furious that he took his anger and resentment for your mother out on you and Dennee. He used you and your sister to steal and manipulate people. If you didn’t obey, he’d tie you both up with rope.

“Fortunately, the Sisters of the Light found you and rescued you, taking you and Dennee away from him. Later, you were taken to the Confessor’s Palace to train to be a Confessor.”

She drew a shuddering breath, struggling with the conflicting emotions building inside of her. “So my father is still alive?”

“Yes, I believe that he’s still alive somewhere, but you haven’t seen him since you were a little girl,” he informed her, his hand coming to rest against her cheek. “I’m so sorry, Kahlan. I know this couldn’t have been easy to hear.”

“Thank you for telling me, Richard,” she whispered, feeling the unwanted tears rising in her throat again. She had asked him to tell her. She had wanted to know, but now she almost wished she hadn’t.

“I wish I could take away your pain,” he softly admitted. “I love you so much, Kahlan. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

“I know,” she murmured. “I love you too.”

“You two want to get yourselves killed?” Cara yelled as she suddenly circled around behind them. “We need to keep moving.”

“Cara…” Richard growled, angered by the Mord’Sith’s intrusion.

“No, it’s alright, Richard,” Kahlan affirmed. “Cara is right. We need to keep moving if we’re ever going to get to Aydindril.”

Richard watched as Kahlan turned away from him to follow after Zedd, a frown on his face. Cara came up beside him, an equally frustrated frown on her lips. “She has to find out some time,” she reminded him. “She can’t be kept in the dark about everything that’s happened in her life.”

“I just don’t know if I can bear to watch her relive all the heartache she’s been through,” he confessed as they began to follow Kahlan and Zedd.

“At least you can be there for her,” she pointed out. “You don’t have to worry about her finding out that you killed her sister.”

Richard’s head snapped to the side to stare at the Mord’Sith. “Cara, you don’t have to worry about that. Kahlan already forgave you for that. She saved your life.”

“But she doesn’t remember any of it,” Cara said with a scowl. “What if she can’t forgive me this time?”

“You know how compassionate and forgiving Kahlan is. Once she learns the truth, she’ll find a way to accept it and deal with it again.”

“I hope so,” she muttered, unconvinced.

XXX

Sister Nicci’s gaze was locked on the mountains to the west, her mind working to figure out where the Seeker and Mother Confessor could be at that moment. They had gotten reports that a squad of D’Haran soldiers had never returned from this area, giving her more cause to believe that the Seeker and Confessor was here.

They had found evidence of a fight, but no bodies. She looked down at the D’Haran sword lying forgotten in the tall grasses, dried blood on the blade that glinted in the sunlight. There was no doubt in her mind that the Seeker had been involved in this fight. The problem now was discovering which direction they had gone now.

She knew that they’d try to get back to Aydindril. It was the most logical place for them to run to now. The most difficult part was trying to figure out which direction they would go. They would avoid the most obvious, direct routes knowing that D’Haran soldiers and Mord’Sith alike would be patrolling it heavily.

“What are you think about, Sister Nicci?”

Nicci turned to find Sister Tash standing beside her, a curious look in her eyes. “I’m going to put a tracer cloud on the Seeker. We don’t have time to run all over the territory trying to find them. I want the Seeker and Mother Confessor now.”

A shiver trembled through Tash as she witnessed the fierce resolve in her fellow Sister of the Dark. She could practically feel the powerful magic thrumming through her, the very air around her almost crackling with the sheer intensity of it. It was both frightening as well as incredible to witness.

“Do you really think it will work?” Tash finally asked.

“It will work,” Nicci confidently replied. “Once I cast the tracking spell, there is no place that the Seeker can hide that I won’t be able to find him.”

Tash folded her arms against her chest in an effort to suppress another shiver. She still wasn’t sure exactly why Darken Rahl had chosen her to keep a close eye on Sister Nicci, but she was going to do her best no matter what.

“If anyone can find him, I know you can do it.”

Nicci studied the young novice for a moment, her green eyes narrowing. There was something different about her lately, something that raised her suspicions of her. She had been staying closer to her recently, never far from her side. Something had changed. She was going to have to keep an eye on her from now on.

“Thank you, Sister Tash,” Nicci evenly said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a spell to cast.”

Tash watched her as she walked away, hoping she was doing the right thing. She felt immense loyalty to her fellow Sisters of the Dark and yet she couldn’t ignore the command of Darken Rahl. She felt torn by duty and devotion.

At least for the moment, there wasn’t anything that she had to act on yet. Nicci had been acting the same since they’d cast the spell to draw her back into the service of the Keeper – driven and cold, committed to the mission.

She couldn’t help but wishing there was someone she could confide in, though, someone she could talk to and help her keep watch over Sister Nicci. She guessed that she could talk to her friend Sister Iriana. She was no longer a novice like her, but she was still young and closer to her own age.

Iriana had just recently become a full Sister of the Dark and would hopefully understand the burdensome task that had unexpectedly been thrust upon her. She felt a certain peace wash over her with her decision, knowing that her friend might be able to help her now.

With a plan set firmly in mind to talk to Iriana, Tash quietly made her way to where Sister Nicci was sitting in the grass with her back to her, soft chanting words began to drift on the breeze…words that would hopefully bring them that much closer to the Seeker and Mother Confessor.

XXX

“Well, I think we made some pretty good time today,” Zedd said with a yawn as he stretched his lanky legs out in front of him by the fire, his hands clasping behind his head.

“We should’ve kept going,” Cara groused as she stirred the stew pot.

“Come now, Cara,” Zedd coaxed. “We didn’t run into any trouble today. That’s a good thing, don’t you think?”

“That doesn’t mean that we won’t run into it tomorrow. It seems to follow those two everywhere we go.”

Zedd glanced over where Richard was stacking some firewood for the night. “Always the pessimist, Cara.”

“No, I’m a realist,” she maintained, dishing up a bowl of rabbit stew and handing it to Zedd.

“This is edible isn’t it?” he asked, eyeing the bowl warily.

“Yes, it’s edible,” Cara snapped. “I’ve gotten better at this.”

“We’ll see about that,” the Wizard retorted as he brought it to his nose to sniff at it.

Cara stood up, her hands finding her hips as she leveled him with a glare. “You are not going to die from eating my cooking,” she growled.

“Well, I haven’t died yet, but who knows about tomorrow,” Zedd shot back, knowing he was getting under the Mord’Sith’s skin.

“I hope you choke on it, Wizard,” she grumbled with a scowl on her lips as she took her bowl of stew to sit on the opposite side of the fire from him.

“Cara, I’m only teasing you,” he told her as he took a large bite. “It’s actually very tasty. Richard…Kahlan, come eat Cara’s stew. It’s pretty good this time.”

“Let’s eat,” Richard told Kahlan. “We can finish setting up camp later.”

“I’m not hungry right now,” she replied, straightening up with her pack in hand. “I’m going to the stream to get cleaned up.”

“Kahlan, you haven’t eaten anything all day,” Richard said with a frown. “Besides, I don’t like the idea of you going to the stream by yourself. We have no idea what Demos has sent after us.”

“Richard, I’ll be fine…I promise,” she told him, capturing his hand in an all too brief squeeze of reassurance. “I won’t be gone long. Why don’t you save me a bowl of stew? Maybe I’ll be hungry when I get back.”

Before Kahlan could fully turn away from him, Richard grabbed her arm, pulling her flush against him. “I could come with you…help you get cleaned up,” he murmured low before brushing his lips against her cheekbone.

She had been more than quiet all day since learning about what had happened to her family, causing him to fear he had made a terrible mistake by telling her everything at once like that. He was worried that she’d end up resenting him for being the one to tell her all of the horrible things that she’d been forced to endure over the years. He only wanted to bring her happiness, never tears.

“Maybe next time,” she whispered with a faint smile. “I just need some time to myself right now.” 

She quickly turned away, disappearing into the woods before he could respond. He watched her leave with a heavy heart, wanting to go after her and yet knowing that she just needed some time to process everything she’d learned. He hated how hard this was on her, how it was hurting her to relive the pain of a life that she’d already had to live through.

Once had been hard enough without being forced to go through it all over again, especially all at once.

He finally forced himself to turn away, knowing that he couldn’t push her to talk to him right now. He made his way to the stew pot, ladling a bowl full before settling down on the ground next to Zedd with a ragged sigh.

Zedd cast a sidelong glance at him, knowing how both Richard and Kahlan were wrestling with all of this. The pain that Kahlan felt, Richard was feeling it just as deeply if not more so with the helplessness that besieged him. They were bound to one another in heart and soul.

“Just give her a little time, my boy. It’s not easy to suddenly learn that your family is dead and the only one alive is a vile excuse for a human being let alone a father.”

“I swear if we ever cross paths with her father, I’m going to beat him for what he did to her,” Richard angrily ground out.

“I’m by no means excusing what he did to his daughters, but I can’t imagine how terrible it must be to suddenly find yourself released from confession, a portion of your life gone, your dreams and plans for the future forever changed.”

“That does not give him the right to abuse his own daughters like that,” Richard spat out.

“I’m not saying it does, but I imagine it was still quite a shock,” Zedd said. “None of us know how we would truly react if it had happened to us.”

“I would be furious, but I wouldn’t hurt my own daughters or use them like that to make a profit,” Richard bit out, growing angrier by the moment the longer this conversation went on.

“What about when you were confessed by Annabelle?” Zedd prodded a little further. “You can’t tell me that if you ended up staying confessed to her, married and had a daughter with her that you wouldn’t be furious about the life that you had missed out on with Kahlan.”

Richard’s stomach twisted with the scenario Zedd had just described, the thought of never breaking from Annabelle’s confession unbearable. It caused his heart to pound in his chest, his pulse racing with dread. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing even one moment of time with Kahlan or having a baby with a woman who wasn’t her.

Kahlan had raced through his woods and right into his heart, becoming his everything. He couldn’t lose that…lose her.

“I still would never hurt my child…no matter who the mother was,” Richard softly said, his gaze focused on his bowl of untouched stew.

“Well, hopefully we’ll never have to see Kahlan’s father,” Cara cut in, relieving some of the tension that had suddenly surrounded the campsite.

“I just don’t know how much more I should tell her now,” Richard admitted.

“You can’t lie to her,” Cara advised. “She’ll never be able to trust us if we try to conceal anything even if we do feel it’s for her own good.”

“Cara’s right,” Zedd agreed, reaching forward to refill his now empty bowl. “As difficult as we know it’s going to be for her, she has the right to know. All we can do is tell her the truth and be there for her the best we can.”

Richard grew quiet for several moments before finally speaking again. “What is it going to be like for her if you are suddenly able to unlock her memories? They’re all going to come like a dam abruptly breaking free in her brain. How is that going to be safe for her?”

“I have to admit that I’m rather concerned about how Kahlan is going to be able to handle it if I’m able to unlock her memories,” Zedd thoughtfully revealed. “There is a chance that by unlocking the spell it could unleash a storm that her mind might not be able to handle. However, the alternative could be true.”

“What alternative?” Cara asked.

“Demos’s spell that removed her memories could end up causing her mind to deteriorate even if we don’t do anything,” Zedd informed them.

Richard set his bowl aside before getting to his feet, needing to see her right now…to hold her and touch her. “I have to go check on Kahlan. She’s been gone for too long.”

XXX

Kahlan sat on a log by the stream, staring at nothing at all. Her thoughts were running rampant with the things that Richard had told her and yet her mind felt so incredibly numb. She couldn’t begin to process how she had lost so much during her life. 

Her mother was gone, her sister…her father only spirits knew where, but he was a horrible excuse for a man.

She was all alone in this world – an orphan with no family.

She didn’t know how to cope with that, where she actually fit into the world now. Nothing made sense to her anymore. Of course, it wasn’t like she understood what was going on in her life right now anyway, but it suddenly seemed even worse if that was possible, more desolate.

Just when she thought that she couldn’t possibly feel more lost, she suddenly found she did.

The only constant she had in her life right now was Richard. He was her rock, keeping her grounded when she felt like she was being swept away in a raging sea of utter chaos and turmoil. Leaning forward, she held her head in her hands, trying to fight back the nagging headache that had settled behind her eyes.

She wished that she could just remember everything so she wouldn’t feel so confused and yet she couldn’t help fearing what else she didn’t know. 

Hearing a noise, Kahlan suddenly sat up, looking to find someone standing several feet away from her. She quickly stood to her feet, a confused expression on her face. “Who are you and what do you want?”

The woman smiled at her, something arrogant and knowing. “You don’t remember me, but you soon will,” she said. “I have come for you.”

“I asked who you are,” she demanded.

“You may call me…Shota,” the witch woman pleasantly replied.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 12

“Shota?”

The witch woman could tell by the expression on the Mother Confessor’s face that she had no memory of her or what she was capable of. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” she gently said as she took a step closer. “I’m a friend. I’m only here to help you.”

“Help me how?” Kahlan asked with a frown, wary of the woman before her. She seemed nice enough, but something about her made Kahlan feel uneasy. “How do you know who I am?”

“I’ve been watching you for a very long time,” Shota revealed. “You and the Seeker play quite heavily in the stream of time as well as prophecy.”

“Richard doesn’t believe in prophecy,” Kahlan replied, her forehead creasing as the nagging uneasiness grew stronger.

Shota slowly closed the distance between them, testing the waters as she inched her way nearer like a deadly serpent slithering closer to its unsuspecting prey. “Richard is ignorant in that regard. He should pay heed or he’ll end up suffering the consequences for his fool hearty decision.”

“Richard is no fool,” Kahlan angrily bit out, “and I suggest you stay back or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Shota immediately froze as Kahlan stretched out her hand towards her, a smug grin playing on the witch’s face with her action. “So you do remember some things, Mother Confessor. You remember the magical power that you possess.”

“What do you want?”

“You,” Shota simply stated, clasping her hands before her and putting on an innocent expression. “I promise I’m only here to help you regain your memories.”

Kahlan slowly lowered her hand as she stared at the witch. “How do you know about my memory loss?”

“I told you I know everything about you and Richard,” Shota told her, taking another step closer. “I’m a friend who wants to make sure nothing bad happens to either you or the Seeker.”

“Do you know who Demos Rahl has sent for us?” she asked, relaxing slightly.

“Yes, I’m afraid I do,” Shota confessed. “It’s not good, Kahlan. If I don’t take you with me now, I fear that it could mean the end of life as we know it.”

“What? Why?” Kahlan asked, her heart suddenly racing.

“Sisters of the Dark are coming for you and Richard,” she revealed. “They’re being led by the most powerful sorceress who has ever lived. If Sister Nicci finds you, there will be no escape for either of you.”

Tears instantly brimmed in Kahlan’s eyes, her throat tightening and making it more than difficult to breathe. “No, I…I can’t let that happen. Richard and I are going to be married soon…once we get back to Aydindril and I get my memories back.”

“I’m afraid that can’t happen now, my dear,” Shota replied, her tone gentle, but her brown eyes hard with resolve. “You must come with me right now if you want to save Richard. I’m afraid it’s the only way.”

Tears silently trickled down Kahlan’s cheeks at the thought of being forced to leave Richard, of not being able to marry him. “I…I have to tell him,” she murmured.

“No!” Shota sternly snapped. “There’s no time. We must leave now or he will die. Don’t you want to save his life?”

“Yes, of course I do, but I can’t just leave without telling him,” Kahlan insisted. “He’ll be outside of his mind with worry if I’m suddenly gone.”

“He already knows that I’m coming for you,” Shota tried again, her desperation rising. “Come; we must hurry now before it’s too late.”

“What?” Kahlan shook her head in confusion, her lips pursed with frustration as Shota reached out a hand towards her. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

“Shota!” Richard growled as he swiftly drew his sword, its familiar ring filling the air. “Get away from her!”

Shota sneered at the Seeker’s sudden appearance, her eyes blazing with fury. “Stay back, Seeker,” she yelled. “Kahlan is coming with me.”

“Over my dead body,” Richard ground out. “Kahlan, get away from her.”

“You are being foolish,” Shota hissed, raising her hand towards Kahlan again. “She needs to come with me right now.”

“Why?” Richard demanded as he slowly inched closer to Kahlan.

“Stop where you are or I will strike her down where she stands,” Shota threatened, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

“You hurt her and I will run you through with my sword,” Richard coldly stated with barely restrained rage.

“Shota!” Zedd yelled as he and Cara broke through the trees. “I knew there was trouble when I heard you draw your sword.”

“Stay out of this, Zeddicus,” Shota sneered at him. “The Mother Confessor is coming with me.”

“You aren’t taking her anywhere!” Richard yelled. “She is coming with me to Aydindril.”

“You always refuse to listen to logic,” Shota shot back venomously. “You are all going to be slaughtered unless Kahlan comes with me.”

“She said the Sisters of the Dark are coming for us,” Kahlan informed them, turning blue eyes filled with fear on Richard. “She said some Sister Nicci is coming to kill us. I can’t let you die, Richard. If going with her will save you and Zedd and Cara, then I’ll go with her.”

“At last, someone who is being reasonable here,” Shota exclaimed in exasperation, further closing the distance between her and Kahlan.

“Kahlan, listen to me,” Richard tried to get through to her, fear gripping his heart with how close Shota was to her. “You can’t believe anything Shota has to say. She’s a witch who likes to twist events so that they will work out for her benefit.”

“I’m trying to save us all!” Shota cried. “You cannot be with this woman, Seeker. If you continued to stay with her, you will seal all of our fates.”

“What are you talking about, Shota?” Zedd demanded.

“I have seen the prophecy that the Seeker so foolishly chooses to ignore,” Shota confessed. “It has forked.”

“What does that mean?” Kahlan asked in confusion.

“It means nothing,” Richard bit out, his sword still clutched firmly in his hands and pointed directly at Shota who was far too close to Kahlan for his liking.

“Tell me what it means,” Kahlan demanded, growing angry.

“It means that another outcome for the original prophecy has been made known,” Zedd told her.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Richard yelled. “Kahlan, you need to come back to camp with me.”

“Kahlan, I know that you love Richard,” Shota said, reaching her hand out to the Mother Confessor. “If you come with you, you will be saving his life. You don’t want him to die, do you?”

“No,” Kahlan gasped, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I…I can’t lose him.”

“Kahlan, don’t listen to her,” Richard tried again, his body near trembling. “Shota if you so much as lay one finger on her…”

“Stay out of this, Seeker!” Shota snarled at him. “You are blinded by your love for this woman and it will be your undoing.”

“I’d rather die with her than live a thousand lifetimes without her,” Richard retorted.

“You would sentence the woman you claim to love more than your own life to death?” Shota demanded.

“I will give up my own life to protect her,” the Seeker heatedly stated.

“Richard,” Kahlan gasped his name, not knowing what she should do. 

Everything inside of her told her that she was safe with Richard. Being with him was what she wanted more than anything in this world, but if it meant his death…how could she? She’d never be able to live with herself if he died because of her.

Richard sheathed his sword, holding his hand out towards Kahlan. “Please, Kahlan,” he gently pleaded with her, his chocolate brown eyes filled with such fear it made her knees weak. “Don’t leave with her.”

Kahlan reached out towards Richard to take his hand, the witch crying out in protest. Shota raised her hands to fire her magic at the Mother Confessor, but Zedd blocked her shot before the witch could harm her. 

“You have no idea the horrible mistake you’re making!” Shota screamed in rage. “You are sentencing us all to die along with you!”

“Do not come after Kahlan or Richard again or you will answer to me,” Zedd threatened her.

“Don’t say you weren’t warned,” Shota hissed before suddenly disappearing from sight.

Richard wrapped his arms around Kahlan, holding her so tightly she could scarcely draw a breath. She didn’t care though. She just didn’t want him to let her go yet. She couldn’t shake the fear that rattled her to her core, especially knowing that she had just sealed their fates…Richard’s fate.

Zedd and Cara stayed for a moment longer, making sure that Shota was truly gone before nodding at Richard. “We’ll see you back at camp,” he told him.

Richard only nodded in return, finding it too difficult to speak at that moment. Shota had almost taken Kahlan away from him, had tried to kill her. “I’m sorry, Kahlan,” Richard murmured into her hair. “I had no idea that Shota was anywhere near here.”

“Who is she?” she asked, pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

He finally released his hold on her, leading her to the large rock she’d been sitting on earlier. “She’s a very powerful witch woman who only likes to cause trouble. She puts too much stock in prophecy and then twists and uses it to suit her purposes.”

“But she said if I didn’t go with you that you would die,” she replied, still confused by what had taken place. None of this made any sense to her. She didn’t know what to believe in anymore.

“It is only one possible outcome that she is seeing,” Richard attempted to explain to her. “I don’t believe in prophecy because I believe that we have the freedom to choose and to make our own lives. I will not live my life because some prophecy says that this may or may not happen if I do something. That is no way to live.”

Kahlan’s hands were tightly clasped together in her lap as she stared out into the darkness, watching as the moon’s reflection shimmered over the water of the stream. She found herself agreeing with the things that Richard was saying and yet she couldn’t deny the fear in her heart that told her she would end up being the reason he lost his life.

Richard studied her profile as she stared straight ahead of them, the drying tear tracks on her skin, the way the moon reflected off her raven hair. She was so incredibly breathtaking it never ceased to amaze him. The sadness that permeated her eyes, though, nearly broke his heart.

He reached over, covering her joined hands with his. “Kahlan, I know you’re scared and that this is all very confusing for you, but please just trust me. I’m not going anywhere without you. We will return to Aydindril and I will marry you regardless of what Shota says.”

She slowly nodded her head, turning her attention to her lover. “I do trust you, Richard,” she softly confessed as she suddenly stood to her feet. “Let’s go back to camp. It’s late and we have a long day of travel tomorrow.”

He was taken aback by her abrupt change. He could tell that she was still rattled by what had happened, the things that Shota had told her, but she obviously didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Too much had happened today, too many things revealed and heartache resurrected. It had to be more than overwhelming and confusing to her.

Richard stood to his feet as well, capturing her hands in his and pulling her back to him. His lips met hers in a fierce kiss, confirming his love and silently conveying his need for her. His fingers slipped up into her hair as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss even further until they were both left breathless.

He knew he couldn’t let himself get carried away at that moment and yet he wanted her so much right now. He wished there was something he could do or say, anything that would help her, but all he could do was reassure her that he loved her and would never leave her.

Breaking the kiss, he breathlessly pressed his lips along her cheekbone, savoring her nearness. “I love you, Kahlan,” he whispered. “Never doubt that.”

“I don’t,” she softly promised, “because I love you too.”

Taking her hand and her pack, they disappeared back into the woods to return to their camp. Richard cast a glance back over his shoulder, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that they hadn’t seen the last of Shota.

XXX

Richard stared straight ahead of him as they worked their way through the thick foliage and underbrush that attempted to slow their progress, his raptor gaze locked with determination to get as far from D’Hara has possible.

He drew his sword and began hacking at it, pouring all of his aggression and frustration into every single swing of his blade as he blazed a path for the three that followed behind him. Livid didn’t begin to cover how he felt at that moment with Shota’s unexpected appearance last night, her attempt to take Kahlan away from him.

She’d had no right to show up like that, to inject herself into their lives and destroy what they had together. She had created so much more doubt and confusion in Kahlan’s mind, leaving her even more conflicted than she’d already been struggling with.

He swore the next time he saw the witch woman; he was going to make sure it was the last.

On top of that, Kahlan had insisted on taking the first watch last night despite trying to talk her out of it. She had been adamant about taking her turn, causing him to finally relent. Instead of waking him to take the next watch, though, she had stayed up through the night, getting no sleep at all.

When he had woken this morning, he had found her in the exact same spot that she had been in when he had gone to sleep the night before. She wouldn’t tell him why she hadn’t woken him, but he already knew why. She’d been too afraid to go sleep because of the nightmares.

With a growling curse, Richard swung his sword at a sapling, taking it down without a second thought. Everything felt like it was spiraling so out of control, his world falling to pieces around him. The Sisters of the Dark were coming after them led by Nicci no less, Demos was obsessed with Kahlan and wanting to do spirits knew what with her. 

Shota was trying to take her away from him; her memories still locked deep inside of her mind with only fragments escaping in twisted nightmares. On top of all that, a prophecy he didn’t believe in hung over his head.

He didn’t know how much more he could take, how much longer he could stand to watch Kahlan suffer like this. When was it all going to end?

Thoughts of just giving up the sword and taking her back to Westland to live in the mountains where no one could ever find them taunted him with what he wanted, but in his heart he knew that it could never be that way.

He knew neither of them would ever be able to live in seclusion knowing that others were suffering at the hands of a monster like Demos Rahl. The sooner he eliminated his brother, the sooner they would have some peace in their lives for once.

Walking with Zedd by her side, Kahlan could tell by the set of Richard’s shoulders that he was still angry with her, the way he hacked at the brush as if they were the real enemy. She knew that she should have woken him last night, but she just couldn’t bear to relive another nightmare.

He had no idea what these nightmares were like, what they were doing to her. They were so real as if she were truly there experiencing these events. She had grown more than afraid to even close her eyes for fear of what would be there to greet her when she finally surrendered to sleep.

They left her feeling distraught and lost, confused about what she had dreamed, not knowing how much of it was truly a part of her past and how much had been twisted by Demos’s spell. It was wearing her down, threatening to break her very spirit.

Kahlan attempted to stifle a yawn, ignoring how her eyes burned with exhaustion. She knew it was her own fault, but she’d happily struggle through the fatigue over experiencing any more night terrors that haunted her sleep like a wraith waiting to steal her sanity. 

Besides, she’d been struggling with the things that Richard had revealed yesterday, the confrontation with Shota. She couldn’t help but feel as though she had made the wrong decision, fearing that staying with Richard would end up getting him killed.

Zedd glanced over at the Mother Confessors to his right, noticing how much slower she was moving today compared to yesterday. He knew that his grandson was more than angry with her for staying up all night, but he could hardly blame her after everything that she’d been through lately.

His heart grew heavier with every passing day, wishing there was something that he could do to end the constant storm of chaos that followed Richard and Kahlan everywhere they went. Unfortunately, all he could do was help guide them and protect them the best that he could.

“Richard!” Zedd called to his grandson who had worked his way quite a fair distance ahead of them, his anger and frustration driving him at a rapid clip.

“What?” Richard growled as he stopped to turn to look at his grandfather, breathing heavily and finding them several yards behind them.

His shoulders immediately slumped, guilt filling his face as he took one look at Kahlan. She looked like she was about to drop, dark shadows beginning to form beneath her eyes. His anger with her suddenly vanished and in its place love and concern overwhelmed him.

“Let’s take a break and eat something before moving on,” Richard finally suggested as he sheathed his sword. “Where’s Cara?”

“She’s circling back around to make sure we’re not being followed,” Zedd informed him.

Richard nodded his head in response, averting his eyes. “I’ll see what I can find to eat.”

Kahlan watched as he quickly turned and disappeared into the woods without another word or glance at her. She sighed wearily as she moved to sit down on the ground, her back resting against the thick trunk of a towering tree. She momentarily closed her eyes, fearing that if she kept them closed for too long that she’d fall asleep. She couldn’t risk it.

She could feel movement beside her, causing her to peek out of the corner of her eye at the wizard who had settled down beside her and yet giving her a little space. “Richard’s furious with me,” she softly said. It was more of a statement than a question. They all knew it especially after the argument she and Richard had had this morning when he had woken up.

“Yes, I’m afraid he is,” he agreed, tilting his head back to lean against his own tree trunk, his eyes studying the bits of blue sky that peeked through between the green canopy above. “He’ll get over it, though.”

Kahlan was somewhat taken aback by his response. She was waiting for a lecture from the wizard, one that would coincide with the one she’d already received that morning from her Seeker. “I didn’t mean to upset him,” she confessed. “I…I just couldn’t, Zedd. I couldn’t close my eyes knowing what was waiting for me.”

“I know, my dear,” he reassured her. “Deep down, Richard knows it too. He’s just really worried about you as we all are and I’m afraid that Shota’s appearance didn’t help to calm him any.”

“I appreciate it, but I just wish that Richard would worry more about himself than me,” she replied. “These Sisters of the Dark…this Sister Nicci…they’re not just coming for me. They’re coming for him as well.”

“Richard knows that, Kahlan, but he doesn’t care,” Zedd explained. “He loves you above all else…always has. Probably from the moment he first laid eyes on you. Nothing matters to him but you, not even his own life. If he has to give it up, he’d drive the dagger into his own heart if it meant saving you.”

Kahlan sat silently for several long moments, his words washing through her and flooding her heart with a love so profound it nearly stole her breath. She loved him just as deeply, just as willing to give up her life for him.

“If he’s that determined to protect me, then I am just as determined to protect him,” she swore.

A sad smile tugged at Zedd’s lips with her words, knowing it was the truth. Even without her memories, this was the true Kahlan speaking from her heart, not her broken mind. “I already knew that,” he admitted. “No matter how lost you feel, dear one, you are still very much the same Kahlan Amnell that I have come to love as if you were my own granddaughter.”

Kahlan opened her eyes to look at the wizard, stunned by his admission. “Thank you, Zedd,” she murmured, her attention suddenly drawn to the Seeker who had returned to them with a couple of rabbits in hand.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Zedd said as he stood to his feet. “I think I better go see if I can find our favorite Mord’Sith. Why don’t you rest here for a little while?”

Kahlan bit her bottom lip as she watched Richard drop the two rabbits by his pack. He stood there for a long moment as if contemplating something, his face lined with the anger he’d been harboring a good portion of the day.

She thought he was going to leave again, disappearing into the woods and leaving her all alone. She was somewhat surprised when he slowly made his way to where she was sitting on the ground. She felt the tension between them building the closer he drew, hating the fact that she had been the cause of it.

She swallowed hard as he knelt in front of her, his handsome face softening as he stared at her. “I’m sorry, Kahlan,” he softly apologized. “I shouldn’t have gotten angry with you this morning. I’m just worried about you and then Shota showed up. You can’t just go without sleep until we get you to Aydindril.”

“Every time I close my eyes, I’m terrified of what is there in the darkness waiting for me,” she said, thoughtfully picking her words in an effort to help him understand. “I don’t know if it’s a real part of my past or just some twisted fabrication that my mind has created. I don’t know how much more I can take, how much more is going to happen before my mind finally breaks and not even Zedd can save me.”

The brokenness and fear in her voice was too much to bear as he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, holding her close as he gently stroked her hair. She buried herself in his protective embrace, allowing him to momentarily shield her from the chaos that lived within her mind.

“Just hold on for me, Kahlan,” he pleaded with her. “Don’t give up. I’m going to find a way to fix this if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I know you will,” she murmured, brushing her lips against his jaw. “You’re my Richard.”

“And you’re my Kahlan…always,” he told her, pulling back to kiss her slowly…deeply.

“We can’t even leave you two alone for a few minutes before you’re tongues are in each other’s mouths,” Cara groused as she entered the small clearing.

Richard shot her a deadly glare as he got to his feet. “Do you have something better to do than spy on us?”

“I’m not spying,” she maintained. “I can’t help it that every time I try to find you, your mouth is always attached to hers.”

Kahlan leaned her head back against the tree, closing her eyes as the corners of her lips curled into a small smile. Cara’s cutting banter was rather amusing once she figured out that the Mord’Sith didn’t intend to kill her in her sleep or take Richard for herself.

“Hey, where’s Zedd?” Richard asked with a frown as he glanced around the small clearing.

“I don’t know,” Cara replied as she began to build a small fire for dinner. “I thought he was with you two.”

“He went to go find you, Cara,” Kahlan sleepily revealed, doing her best to fight off the exhaustion that was threatening to drag her away.

“Well, I didn’t see him,” she stated.

“It looks like we have a problem on our hands,” Zedd gravely announced as he entered the clearing from the other side of the woods.

“What now?” the Mord’Sith asked with a roll of her green eyes.

“Someone has created a tracer cloud to track us down,” he told him, pointing up.

Everyone looked up to see what he was talking about, only to find a small dark cloud hanging right above their heads against a bright clear blue afternoon sky.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 13

Nicci stared at the sky above, angered by the dark clouds that filled it. Her tracer cloud had settled over the Seeker, pointing them in the right direction to finally find him. Unfortunately, the damn wizard had spotted it, creating a thick cover of clouds to conceal her tracer from sight.

At least she now knew where which direction they were going even if they might no longer be there. They should be able to track them once they found where they had stopped to set up camp last night. After that, there would be no hiding from them.

The sorceress smiled to herself with the thought of finally getting her hands on the Seeker and the Mother Confessor. They had evaded her for far too long, escaping capture time and again. This time, however, would prove to be much different.

She was not about to allow the Seeker to escape her again. She could hardly wait until they finally had him. She would make him pay for all the trouble he had caused her. While she knew she was going to turn the Seeker and Mother Confessor over to Demos Rahl, there was a small part of her that wanted to keep Richard for herself, turn him into her personal slave.

There was something about him that intrigued her, capturing her attention and sparking something deep inside of her that she didn’t quite know how to describe. Ever since she had nearly died in that cave when she’d been bound to Kahlan, she’d seen the Seeker in a new light. The compassion that he’d shown her during their brief time together had been unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

Even at the inn after she’d purposefully allowed that man to hurt her, Richard had shown her unbelievable kindness despite how angry he had been with her for doing that knowing that Kahlan had suffered as well because of her actions.

She felt a small twinge of guilt knowing that she had caused him pain by hurting herself and therefore Kahlan. She silently cursed to herself for feeling such a thing. Richard was the enemy and must be dealt with. It was what her Master had commanded and she could not disobey him.

“Sister Nicci?”

Nicci turned to find Tash standing by her side, a concerned expression gracing her face. “What is it?” she asked, her voice holding a definite edge to it.

“I just wondering what our next move might be now that the tracer cloud has been blocked,” Tash tentatively inquired.

Nicci appraised her for a long moment, feeling there was more beneath that question than what had been vocalized by the novice. “We now know which direction they are going.”

“They’ll be long gone by the time we reach the last place we saw the tracer cloud,” Tash pointed out.

“I know that,” Nicci bit out, angered to be questioned by this novice. “We should be able to track them other ways. Besides, I know where they’re headed.”

“Where?” Tash asked.

“Aydindril,” she simply stated.

“Why would they head there?” Tash inquired. “Why wouldn’t they make a run for Westland or the Old World?”

“Because the Seeker and Mother Confessor do not worry about themselves,” she informed her. “They will try to get to Aydindril to organize the army in order to attack Demos Rahl and remove him from the throne.”

Tash stared at her in confusion. “How do you know this?”

“Because I know the Seeker,” she darkly replied as she focused on the gloomy sky again. “He will not rest until his brother has been eliminated and Kahlan Amnell is safe. That is what matters most to him – the Mother Confessor. She is the key to getting to him.”

“You sound like you know him fairly well,” Tash observed. “How do you know him so well?”

“Let’s just say I spent some time with him…got to know him and how he thinks,” Nicci continued. “He’s a very noble, compassionate man who thinks nothing of himself.”

“You almost sound like you admire him.”

Nicci turned her attention to the novice standing beside her, her green eyes flashing dangerously. “And you sound as if you doubt my loyalty to the Keeper.”

Tash felt a shiver lance through her with the heated intensity in the sorceress’s eyes. “I…I did not mean to imply…”

“I am fully committed to the service of the Keeper,” Nicci adamantly stated. “Never question my loyalty or you will experience firsthand the full extent of my powers.”

“Yes, Sister,” Tash softly apologized, lowering her head in humble submission. “I apologize if I appeared to be questioning you or your motives. I just had not realized the extent of your interactions with the Seeker in the past.”

“I know him better than he knows himself,” she informed her. “His compassion and his love for the Mother Confessor will be his ultimate undoing. Gather our Sisters. We leave immediately.”

XXX

Drizzling rain created a miserable environment as they continued to push their way towards Aydindril, but it had been a necessary evil. The dark sky that Zedd had created to conceal the tracer cloud had also brought with it rain. Fortunately, the thick canopy of leaves above them helped to block the majority of it, allowing only a thick wet mist to fill the air.

They had been travelling with it for two days now, but at least they’d avoided any run-ins with D’Haran soldiers or Sisters of the Dark. They knew it was only a matter of time before they were found. They just hoped that they could make it to Aydindril before that happened, the backing of the Aydindril army helping them in their fight that would no doubt be deadly.

Richard mulled over the idea of having to face off against Sister Nicci again. The thought of it turned his stomach. She was more powerful than anyone he’d ever encountered and the fact that she was now hunting them down with the rest of her sisters inflamed his rage even more.

It was bad enough when she was after Kahlan on her own, binding herself to her, but now she had the rest of her Sisters of the Dark with her. That did not bode well for them especially with Kahlan’s memories still locked away inside of her mind.

He cast a furtive glance at her, noticing how exhausted she was growing. She finally tried to sleep the last couple of nights, but the nightmares were always there waiting for her. It only seemed to be getting worse with every passing night. She was becoming more and more terrified to close her eyes at night, but exhaustion was forcing her to succumb to the pull of sleep no matter how unfitting it was.

They were going to have to stop and find horses soon if he was ever going to be able to get her to Aydindril before Nicci caught up with them. The sorceress was no doubt going to figure out a way to remove Zedd’s cloud cover. The idea of facing Sister Nicci again made his skin crawl, the thought of the four of them going up against Nicci as well as all of her Sisters of the Dark made his stomach drop into his boots.

Even with Zedd’s powerful magic and Cara’s ability to block magic, it was going to be a dreadful battle that would not end well. Besides that, he wasn’t certain that Kahlan would be able to hold up well in a fight right now, not with how fatigued she was becoming. She could hardly put one foot in front of the other.

As much as he hated Shota and didn’t trust her, Richard was beginning to wonder now if letting Shota take Kahlan to Agaden Reach was a better idea. At least there she would be somewhat protected and safe from the Sisters of the Dark. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t be safe from Shota either.

They needed some sort of plan, prepare themselves for the attack that they knew was coming.

Richard suddenly fell back, moving to walk with Cara. The Mord’Sith’s expression was intense, her green eyes focused on the thick cover of woods that surrounded them. He could tell by the set of her shoulders how tense she was, prepared for an ambush they knew was waiting on the horizon for them.

“Cara, we can’t keep going like this,” he finally said after several moments. “Kahlan is growing weaker every day and we can’t get to Aydindril soon enough. I can practically feel the Sisters of the Dark beginning to breathe down our necks. I feel like they’re all around us ready to take us down at any moment.”

“I know,” Cara admitted. “I think we’re going to have to leave the cover of the woods and head to the nearest town to find some horses. It’s our best plan now if we want to stay ahead of Sister Nicci.”

“I agree,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Do you have any idea where we’re at now?”

“My best guess would be that we’re west of Rothenberg,” she replied with a frown. “It’s probably at least another four days or more to Aydindril, but that’s without horses and if nothing slows us down.”

“You mean Kahlan slows us down,” Richard muttered, his worry more than evident.

“I’m not saying we just ditch her and leave her behind,” Cara stated with a scowl. “I’m just saying that if we don’t fix what Demos did to her mind soon, there’s not going to be much left of her to save by the time we get to Aydindril at this rate. The spell is going to slowly destroy her mind.”

Richard noticed concern in her voice, hidden behind her words. She shared his fear that this spell was doing more damage to her than they had originally thought, biding its time before suddenly completely destroying her and stealing the woman they knew and loved.

He swallowed back the painful knot that had stuck in his throat, stealing his breath. “I won’t let that happen,” he softly said. “I won’t give up until this damn spell is finally removed once and for all.”

Cara reached out to place her hand on his forearm in a very uncharacteristic act of sympathy, her eyes softening. “I’m afraid that there are some things in this world that even you might not be able to fix.”

“This isn’t going to be one of them,” he bit out, his expression growing hard.

“I hope you’re right,” she murmured.

“I think we may have to split up,” Richard suddenly informed her, preparing himself for the fierce tirade about to be unleashed on him.

Cara stopped dead in her tracks, a ferocious glower fixed on her face. “You have got to be joking.”

“No, Cara, I’m not,” he stated as he stopped to look back at her. “If we split up, there’s a better chance of getting Kahlan to Aydindril than if we stay together.”

Cara placed her hands on her hips, hating this idea already. “And what about you? Don’t you think your life matters? Because it matters to the rest of us.”

Richard’s shoulders slumped in defeat with her admission. It was the closest to saying that she cared that Cara would ever get. They were quickly running out of options here as well as time. He had to do something to keep Nicci from getting to Kahlan. 

It had been horrifying enough when Nicci had bound herself to Kahlan, knowing that everything that happened to Nicci was also happening to Kahlan. He knew this time when they met Nicci it wasn’t going to end so well. There was a good chance they might not make it out of this one.

“What do you think we should do?” Richard growled, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

“What’s the matter?” Kahlan suddenly asked as she approached them, discovering that Richard and Cara had stopped.

“Richard thinks that we should split up, make it harder for Nicci to find us,” Cara revealed much to the Seeker’s consternation.

“Split up now?” Zedd asked as he came to stand beside Kahlan.

“I think that you and Kahlan should head north to Aydindril while Cara and I cut west before heading north,” Richard confessed. “We don’t know if Nicci has attached the tracer cloud to me or Kahlan. If we split up, she won’t know who went in which direction. It might slow her down some.”

What little color that had been in Kahlan’s already pale face disappeared altogether with Richard’s plan. She didn’t like the idea of separating, not knowing where Richard was at or if he was even alive. The thought caused her heart to leap into her throat.

“And if she catches up to us, she’ll only capture two of us instead of all four of us,” Cara added, knowing how the Seeker’s mind worked.

“Do you think it could really work?” Zedd questioned him.

“It’s worth a shot,” he replied. “Right now, we’re too easy to find. They could be sneaking up on us at any moment and we have no idea. If we split up, you and Kahlan can…”

“No!” Kahlan suddenly yelled, causing everyone to pause.

Looking at her, Richard finally noticed how much paler she’d become in that moment. “Kahlan…”

“No, Richard,” she angrily stated, anger permeating her blue eyes. “We are not splitting up.”

Richard quickly made his way to her, taking her hand in his. “Kahlan, it would only be for a little while, just enough to throw Nicci and the Sisters of the Dark off our trail,” he explained, his eyes softening. “I promise you I will come back to you.”

Kahlan angrily yanked her hand free as tears burned in her eyes. “You don’t know that, Richard. Don’t make promises to me that you can’t keep. Sister Nicci wants us both and she’s not going to stop until she has us back at the People’s Palace with Demos Rahl.”

She was breathing hard now, panic flashing across her face and fear in her voice. Richard took hold of her upper arms in an attempt to calm her down. He hated watching what all of this was doing to her. She was hanging by a thin thread that he feared would snap at any moment, taking her away from him forever.

“Kahlan, it’ll be okay,” he softly told her, pulling her close and holding her securely in his arms. “We’ll stay together for now. I was only trying to think of a way to keep you safe. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”

“And you think I can survive without you?” she murmured, tightening her hold on him for fear that he would disappear.

Richard held her for a moment longer before finally releasing her. He kissed her gently on the lips, wishing they could be alone for a little while or had more time for him to just hold her, comfort and kiss her the way that he really wanted to, but they didn’t have that luxury right now.

“Cara and I think that we need to head west now,” he told Kahlan and Zedd. “We need to get out of these woods and find a town where we can get some horses. The sooner we get to Aydindril, the better.”

“Isn’t that what I’ve said all along?” Cara snapped.

Richard shot her a glare before continuing on. “Cara thinks that we aren’t too far from Rothenberg by now. Hopefully, we can be there by nightfall. Maybe we actually sleep in a real bed for the night.”

He could feel Kahlan shudder with the mention of going to sleep. It was going to be another long night for both of them again, one filled with more nightmares than actual sleep. He was beginning to feel the effects from the lack of sleep the last couple of nights himself.

“You know I’ve been thinking about it,” Zedd announced as they began to make their way through the woods again. “I think I may have an idea that will allow you to sleep, Kahlan.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“What you going to do?” Richard wanted to know. He was hopeful but cautious, fearing that anything else they may try might cause her even more harm than good.

“I think I might be able to create a shield in Kahlan’s mind that would help keep those nightmares out,” the wizard revealed.

“Couldn’t it cause more problems than she’s already having?” Richard questioned with a frown of disapproval.

“It shouldn’t because I’m not going to probe the spell itself or try to reverse it,” Zedd explained. “I’ll only be setting up a shield around it to keep any more nightmares from escaping.”

“I think it sounds wonderful,” Kahlan admitted with a weary sigh. “I feel like I’m losing my mind sometimes.”

“But won’t that keep any more memories from surfacing?” Cara asked.

“Yes, it would keep any other memories from resurfacing, but it would only be temporary. Once I lift the barrier, I’ll need to find a way to remove the spell that Demos placed on her.”

“Why does everything have to be so complicated all the time?” Kahlan asked.

Cara snorted in response. “It’s always been this complicated when it comes to you and the Seeker. You just don’t remember it right now.”

“It’s not always that bad,” Richard maintained, receiving a roll of the Mord’Sith’s green eyes in response.

“I’ll try anything, Zedd,” Kahlan replied.

“As soon as we get to town and find a place to stay for the night, I’ll see what I can do.”

Richard took Kahlan’s hand, squeezing it in reassurance once more before releasing it. As much as he hated the idea of splitting up, he still couldn’t help but feel as though it was the best plan. Kahlan’s near panicked reaction worried him greatly, but he needed to do what was best for her, whatever it took to keep her alive.

XXX

Rothenberg had thankfully turned out to be just as close as Cara had thought. Arriving just after the sun had began to set; it afforded them a warm bed and a hot meal for the night. Finding an inn, they had eaten in relative silence, everyone tired and lost in their own thoughts.

They each felt the heavy weight of what was happening…what was about to come for them. Nicci and her Sisters of the Dark were quickly converging on them, Demos never going to give up until Kahlan and Richard were his again.

Somehow, they all knew this would likely be the last time they were going to be able to spend together like this, the unspoken fear and trepidation of what was bearing down on them hanging in the air between them. 

Richard peered at Kahlan to his right. She had eaten a little, but was mostly just picking at her food. He knew she was still upset about the idea of them splitting up and he couldn’t blame her. She felt so lost and the only one she truly remembered was him. Right now, he was her lifeline and she was terrified of losing that…losing him. He shared her fear.

He wanted to take her up to the room they were going to share tonight, to talk to her and hold her in his arms, but he couldn’t just yet. _Later_ , he reminded himself.

“I think I’m going to go upstairs and get cleaned up,” Kahlan suddenly announced as she pushed her chair back from the table and standing to her feet.

“Are you alright?” Richard asked, concerned.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him with a forced smile. “It’ll be nice to not have to get cleaned up in a cold river.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Cara agreed as she took another bite of her supper.

“How about I come up with you and set up that shield for you so you can get some much needed sleep tonight?” Zedd offered, standing to his feet as well.

“I’d really appreciate anything you can do, Zedd,” she replied.

“Great,” Zedd said. “Don’t let them take away my plate. I’ll be right back.”

Cara and Richard watched as Zedd and Kahlan left to go upstairs, neither speaking a word for several moments. “When do you want to leave?” she asked, finally breaking the silence.

“Before sunrise,” he evenly stated, his gaze focused solely on his plate.

“I mean you and me,” she clarified as she studied him.

“I know,” he softly responded, hating what he knew he had to do. “It’s for her protection, Cara. The longer she’s with me, the more her life is in danger. We both know that tracer cloud is tracking me, not her. I can’t be the one to lead Nicci to Kahlan.”

“Kahlan will eventually understand, Richard,” she reminded him. “She loves you too much not to forgive you.”

“I hope so,” he muttered, swallowing hard as he glanced at the stairs that she had just ascended.

XXX

Richard softly opened the door to the room he shared with Kahlan, his heart like a heavy rock in his chest knowing what was going to happen. He needed to make sure that tonight was perfect for her, something to remember when he wasn’t there to hold her when things seemed hopeless or to kiss her goodnight.

Entering, he found her sitting on a wooden stool before the fire, the orange flames casting a warm glow on her nude body. She was running a washcloth over her arm before leaning over to wash her leg. Her every movement was pure grace, her body exquisite perfection.

He stood silently by the door, his lustful gaze slowly roaming over her body, following the flawless lines and feminine curves. His hungry gaze caressed the slender column of her neck, along her shoulder and her arm, the full outline of her breasts he loved to suckle and kiss, down her long legs he loved to feel wrapped so firmly around his waist.

He felt his mouth going dry as the washcloth moved to wash her breast, his heart beginning to beat a little harder with the hot lust pounding through him. His lips parted slightly as his breaths grew more ragged, his groin throbbing in response to the sensual feast that she was unknowingly treating him to.

Without a word, Richard quietly made his way to her, coming to stand behind her. He gently raked his fingers through her long raven hair, brushing it aside as he got down on his knees. His mouth began to kiss along her neck and down to her shoulder, his hand reaching around to fondle her breast.

A soft gasp escaped her lips as she tilted her head back to lean against his shoulder, losing herself to his focused ministrations that were quickly setting her body on fire. She arched her back, pressing more of herself into his hand. His free hand quickly joined in, slowly kneading her other breast until she was panting and squirming against him, wanting more.

His mouth continued to kiss and nip along her neck and shoulder, tasting every single inch of her he could as his one hand slipped down her body. He paused to momentarily caress her flat abdomen. Unable to bear it much longer, she suddenly stood to her feet, turning and crushing her lips against his.

His hand found her face, caressing her cheek as he kissed her passionately. Her fingers dug into his shirt as he continued to kiss her, his other hand paying special attention to her breast, agonizingly slow and deliberate, teasing and frustrating her to no end.

Kahlan quickly pulled his shirt free from his breeches, yanking it up over his head and momentarily causing him to pause in his sweet attention. She went to work unhooking his scabbard and tossing it aside before attacking the laces of his pants, her hand slipping inside to take hold of what she wanted most. 

He sucked in a shuddering gasp, knowing he wasn’t going to last long like this. He forced himself to pull her hand free from his breeches, desperate for much more. He swiftly picked her up and took her to their waiting bed, ready to give her everything he had. Laying her down, he quickly removed his boots and pants before crawling up her body to settle over her.

She spread her legs for him, beckoning him to her and silently pleading for him to take her. It had been far too long since their last night in the Spirit House. She had ached to be with him ever since leaving the Aku village, hungered for his sensual touch and the feel of him moving deep within her so hot and hard.

Her arms swiftly moved around him, holding him to her as she kissed him. She welcomed him inside of her, savoring every single hard inch of him as Richard slowly pushed himself deeper and deeper, his teeth raking over her collarbone as he invaded her sweet depths. 

She resisted the urge to clamp down on him as he penetrated her, wanting as much of him as she could possibly take and then some. Her breathing quickly grew erratic, her fingers finding the sheet beneath them, curling into the thin material and clutching it in her fists as her body began to respond to him.

Richard gritted his teeth against the overwhelming urge to come already, the feel of her so hot and wet and tight around him driving him absolutely crazy. When he was with her…fully enveloped deep within her like this, he felt so very complete. It was like coming home where he knew he always belonged.

The thought of leaving her, of not being able to see her for spirits knew how long nearly choked the life out of him, causing him to suddenly pause in his thrusts. Kahlan reached for his face, pulling him up to look into her eyes.

“Richard…what is it?” she breathed heavily. “Are you…alright?”

“I…I just…love you,” he confessed as he lost himself in her blue eyes. “What I feel…for you…is so much stronger…than just love. It overwhelms me sometimes.”

Kahlan caressed his face, his special smile on her lips. “I love you too,” she murmured, nuzzling her nose with his.

He sought out her lips again, kissing her passionately as he began again, setting a punishing rhythm intended to drive her wild with pleasure. She pulled out of his kiss with a sharp gasp, her neck arching and her fingernails raking down his spine.

This was love in its truest, purest form, an intimate expression that went so far beyond the bounds of just love and adoration as he worshipped her body with everything he felt for her. He wanted her to remember this night, to know without a doubt that he loved her above all else.

He didn’t know when he was going to be able to see her again, but he prayed that it wouldn’t be long. It hurt him to leave her, hurt him more than anyone could begin to imagine, but he knew he had to do it in order to keep her safe. Nothing meant more to him than that.

Kahlan was his everything.

He interlaced their fingers as he pinned her hands on either side of her head, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he lost himself to the overwhelming pleasure coursing through his veins. He silently swore to himself that he would find his way back to her. Nothing would ever stop him from coming back to her, not even the Keeper himself.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is dedicated to my friend Deacon (Bob Kenny) who passed away two weeks ago. You will be missed, my Seeker friend!

Chapter 14

Richard stood there in the fading darkness of the room, the only light coming from a faint shaft of lingering moonlight that splashed across the bed they had shared last night. He couldn’t tear his eyes off her beautiful sleeping form, how positively breathtaking she looked…so peaceful and full of such unimaginable love for him. 

He silently memorized every single exquisite detail of her face. He never wanted to forget this moment or how she looked, the passionate love they had shared last night. He had no idea when he’d be able to see her again, but he swore to himself that he would and it would be soon.

This was one of the most difficult things that he had ever had to do, but he knew with his whole being that he had to do it. He had to leave her in order to protect her. He couldn’t be the one that led Sister Nicci straight to her or the reason that she ended up back with Demos.

Images of what his wicked brother would do to her if he ever got his hands on her again flooded his mind, making him nauseated and weak in the knees. At the same time, it also strengthened his resolve to leave her, knowing it was for the best right now. 

He silently leaned over, brushing a raven curl away from her face before gently kissing her temple. She whispered his name in her sleep, a sweet smile momentarily curling her lips before fading away. He couldn’t help but smile in return, loving the sound of his name on her lips whether murmured in her sleep or cried in the height of climax. It was something that he never grew tired of, only craving to hear it time and time again.

He was more than thankful that the barrier Zedd had set up in her mind had finally allowed her to sleep without nightmares for the first time in several days. It was one less thing that he needed to worry about now that he was going to be separated from her for a little while. 

“I love you, Kahlan,” he softly said, closing his eyes and kissing her cheek.

It took everything he had to walk away from her, reminding himself that he was doing this for her, to save her life. He just prayed that she would forgive him someday, understand the reason why he had to do this. There just was no other way.

He couldn’t stand the thought of her hating him, but he knew beyond a doubt that he couldn’t live if she died.

Richard came to a stop by the door to their room, pausing to look back at Kahlan still sleeping peacefully. The sheet only partially covered her back, allowing an enticing view of her shoulder blades, her tousled raven hair fanned out over the pillow. He ached to return to her, crawl in beside her and pull her close against his body, curling himself around her in a protective cocoon in an effort to protect her from the world.

Drawing a deep breath, he silently turned the doorknob, leaving her all alone to wake up and find him gone. He swallowed hard as he turned and closed the door behind him, his forehead as well as the palm of his hand coming to rest against the wood as his heart struggling with the decision that he had made.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“Yes, I do,” he managed to choke out in a whisper without turning around. “I have to in order to save her.”

“We have fought together before and won,” Cara reminded him. “We can do it again.”

“I can’t take that chance…not with Sister Nicci coming after me and Kahlan,” he softly said, finally turning around to face her. “I won’t be the reason that Kahlan dies.”

“You don’t know that Kahlan will die.”

“No, I don’t, but Nicci is not going to give up until she has us, Cara,” Richard insisted. “I have to draw her away from Kahlan and put a stop to this permanently.”

“Then, let’s get started,” Cara replied.

“Did you tell Zedd what I told you to tell him?”

“Yes,” Cara confirmed with a nod of her head.

“What did he say?” he tentatively asked as they descended the steps.

“He told me to tell you to be careful first of all,” she informed him. “Then he said not to worry. He would get Kahlan safely to Aydindril as soon as possible and try to restore her memories.”

“Good,” Richard sighed heavily as they exited the inn.

“He also said that if we weren’t in Aydindril in seven days, he was sending the entire Aydindril army out after us.”

Richard chuckled softly in response at his grandfather’s threat. “I intend to be there in less than five if at possible. The sooner this over, the sooner I can marry Kahlan and start the life that we’ve wanted all along.”

“And what about Demos?”

There was a long moment of silence as Richard grappled with what he knew in his heart that he was going to have to eventually do. “I cannot allow my brother to continue to rule especially knowing how obsessed he is with Kahlan. I want him out of our lives forever.”

“Kahlan’s not going to just sit back and let you go after him without her,” she reminded him. “In fact, it’s going to take her some time to get over you leaving her now without doing it again to her later after you’re married.”

“I know, but what do you want me to do?” Richard angrily ground out. “I can’t just let him live knowing that he could be coming after Kahlan at any time. He’s not going to stop until he has her.”

“Then send the Aydindril army after him,” she stated, suddenly noticing how clear the pre-dawn sky was. Nicci had managed to find a way to remove Zedd’s cloud cover. Her tracer cloud would be able to find them now.

“It won’t be enough,” Richard replied with a shake of his head. “I’m going to have to be the one to do it.”

“You need to stay as far away from him as possible,” Cara insisted. “Demos wants you just as much as he wants Kahlan and it’s not for a family reunion. He wants you both to suffer.”

“I know that, Cara,” Richard snapped, his patience waning. “I can’t worry about that when Kahlan’s life is in constant danger.”

Cara grabbed hold of his arm, pulling the Seeker to a sudden stop. “See that cloud up there?” she asked, pointing to the sky and the single dark cloud that hovered above them. “That cloud is attached to you by magic. Where you go, it goes and so will Nicci and the Sisters of the Dark. 

“There is a battle waiting for us on the horizon whether we like it or not and you are just as much in the center of it all as Kahlan is. Whether you like it or not, you can’t take it all on by yourself and think you’ll survive it on your own.”

“That’s why I have you with me,” he pointed out with a lop-sided smile.

“We might not be enough, Richard,” she softly confessed, unamused by his effort to lighten the mood. “I will give you everything I have including my life if necessary, but I fear it won’t be enough this time.”

“Cara, you are not going to die because of me,” he heatedly stated. “We end this with Nicci and then we go after Demos once I know Kahlan is safe in Aydindril.”

The Mord’Sith drew a deep breath, fighting against the worry that all of this invoked within her. She couldn’t help but fear that they weren’t going to make it out of this one as easily as Richard hoped that they were especially with everyone and everything converging on them like this.

Demos…Sister Nicci and her Sisters of the Dark…Darken Rahl and the Keeper…Shota. They all wanted Richard or Kahlan for one reason or another. She feared that it would never end.

“Let’s go,” Cara finally grumbled, turning away from him with a scowl. “The sooner we lead Nicci away from Kahlan and Zedd, the sooner we can get you to Aydindril as well.”

Richard watched her as she began to head down the narrow dirt path that would lead them west out of Rothenberg. He turned back to look at the inn sitting silently against the backdrop of the sun that was just beginning to rise, his gaze finding the window to the room where Kahlan slept.

His eyes momentarily fell closed as he pictured her sleeping, remembering the feel of her soft warm skin pressed flush against his, the heated breaths they had shared in that intimate moment. It was those memories that would keep him going, help keep him sane through this war that was no doubt coming with Demos and the Sisters of the Dark.

It was a fight he did not want, but knew he must face in order to ensure not only Kahlan’s safety, but the safety of the Midlands as well as D’Hara. It was time for the wicked tyranny to come to an end. And that time was now.

XXX

Kahlan slowly began to stir as awareness replaced fitful slumber, the warm feel of the sun’s rays falling across her waking her from a deep sleep. Her lips curled softly as she remembered making love with Richard last night, the feel of him pressing her so deeply into the mattress, the feel of his muscular body so hard beneath her as she rode him until they had both collapsed in sweet rapture.

She had wanted more, but exhaustion had ended up winning out. They had fallen asleep, a tangled mess of limbs and momentarily sated desire. She was beyond thrilled when she realized that she had been able to sleep through the entire night without any nightmares, allowing them both a full night of much needed sleep. 

Without opening her eyes, she reached over beside her, wanting to touch him, to feel the intense peace and love that his embrace always instilled within her. Even without her memories, Richard had managed to become her everything, her heart remembering and knowing him despite the void Demos’s spell had created in her mind.

Her brow furrowed as her hand found nothing but cool sheets next to her, confusion and worry instantly gripping her. She sat bolt upright, holding the sheet against her chest as she swiftly looked around for any signs of where Richard could have gone, hoping that he had gone downstairs to get them something to eat.

Worry, however, swiftly turned into unrelenting panic when she noticed that his clothes were missing along with his sword and his pack. 

Richard was gone.

Tears immediately filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, her heart pounding wildly. “No…no, Richard…no,” she repeatedly whispered to herself as she turned to look out the nearby window, her fingers curling around the window sill as she fought to contain her panic. 

The sun was shining brightly in the sky, Zedd’s cloud cover gone as well as the dark tracer cloud that had been following them. Richard had left sometime during the night while she had been sleeping. He had left her behind. How could he have just left her like this?

Tears streamed down her face as she drew her knees up close to her body, her forehead coming to rest on top as she cried, her body shaking with the heartache that had suddenly gripped her. She felt as though her heart was shattering, her world crumbling down all around her. He was her anchor and he had left her.

Panic and heartache soon gave way to anger and determination as she suddenly leapt from the bed, furious with him for doing this to her. He had made love with her last night, allowing her to believe that everything was going to be alright, that he wasn’t going to leave her. He had lied to her, giving her a false sense of security and hope.

She thought that she knew him, had trusted him and he had deceived her.

Kahlan grabbed her travelling clothes, dressing quickly as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She was going after him. He was not going to just leave her like this and try to face Sister Nicci and her Sisters of the Dark by himself.

She was nearly trembling with anger as she pulled on her thigh-high boots before grabbing her pack and heading for the door. She pulled it open to find Zedd standing there, his hand raised to knock on her door. The look on his face told her that he already knew what Richard had done, that he had taken Cara and had left them behind.

“I’m going after him,” she ground out, her chest heaving with anger and hurt.

“Kahlan…” Zedd cautiously began, his arm falling limply to his side.

“He had no right to do that to me, Zedd!” she growled. “He…he…”

The tears came faster…harder as she collapsed against him, breaking down into sobs. He wrapped his arms firmly around her, holding her close as she wept; knowing what all of this was doing to her. This was what he had feared the most. So much had happened to her with Demos and the spell, losing her memories and the nightmares, recently learning what had happened to her family and now this. He didn’t know how much more Kahlan could possibly take before finally breaking.

Richard had been the only one that she had truly remembered and even that had been negligible. It was what she had felt in her heart, the unbreakable bond that she shared with Richard that had allowed her to know him despite not remembering much about their past together. Now, the one person that was holding her together through all of this turmoil was gone and there was no way of knowing if he would truly be able to come back to them or not.

Zedd knew that Richard had needed to do this in order to protect her, but it couldn’t have come at a worst time. He feared for her mind, how fragile that it could become because of the dangerous spell that Demos had used. It was a no-win situation. If they left the spell alone, it could cause her mind to deteriorate. If they tried to remove the spell, the sudden flood of memories could destroy her mind as well.

The emotional battle of all of this was definitely beginning to take its toll on her, sapping her strength and stealing her hope. He hated to see what this was doing to her. It was threatening to take away the Kahlan that they knew and loved, but he would do everything in his power to keep that from happening.

“Kahlan, he’s not gone forever,” Zedd told her as he led her back into her room, sitting her down on the foot of the bed. “Nothing means more to him than coming back to you.”

“He shouldn’t have left,” Kahlan cried, the tears refusing to cease. “He…he left without saying goodbye…without telling me. How could he do that to me? I thought he loved me.”

“Because Richard knew that he’d never be able to leave you if he had to look you in the eye,” he pointed out. “Kahlan, he loves you far more than you can begin to imagine. He’s prepared to take on Nicci and her Sisters as well as Demos if he has to in order to keep you safe.”

“I don’t want him to do that,” she yelled, leaping to her feet. “I want him with me. Why does he insist on trying to protect me all the time at the risk of his own life?”

“It’s because he loves you more than his own life,” he gently replied, watching her as she began to pace. “Nothing is more important to him than you. He won’t rest until he knows that Demos is dead.”

Kahlan paused, folding her arms against her chest. “Why can’t we just run away…go some place where no one will find us so we can just live in peace?”

Zedd stood to his feet, making his way to her. “I know you’re struggling to understand it all and none of this makes any sense to you, but if you had your memories, you’d know why Richard can’t do that…why you wouldn’t be able to do that either.

“Right now, everything is such a chaotic mess and your world has been turned upside down, but I promise we’ll do everything we can to make it right again for you. Everything will make sense then.”

“If Richard isn’t with me, nothing will ever be right again,” she softly said, her tears returning with a vengeance. “I have to find him, Zedd. I can’t breathe when he’s not around.”

Zedd pulled her into his arms again, rubbing her back. “I know, dear one,” he sighed heavily, his heart breaking for her. “And I also know that he feels the exact same way you do. Leaving you was the hardest thing that he has ever had to do, but he did it in order to draw Nicci away from you.”

Kahlan’s fingers curled into the wizard’s robes, clinging to him for dear life. “It just hurts so much,” she murmured. “When he’s with me, everything makes sense, but now…I feel so lost and alone.”

“You’ve been through more than anyone can begin to comprehend, Kahlan,” he told her, bending down to kiss the top of her head. “But you are not alone. I know I’m not Richard, but I love you as if you were my very own granddaughter. I’m going to get you safely to Aydindril and then see what I can do about restoring your memories. You have a wedding to plan for when Richard returns.”

“I don’t think I can do this, Zedd,” she confessed, pressing her forehead against his shoulder.

“I know you, Kahlan Amnell, and you are a very strong woman,” he insisted, pulling back and forcing her to look at him. “You can do this. We need to get to Aydindril as soon as possible and then Richard will meet us there as soon as he can.”

“Thank you, Zedd,” she murmured, unconvinced with his attempt to reassure her. She couldn’t get past the fact that Richard said that he loved her, would always be there for her and yet he had left her without a word. It didn’t feel like love to her. It was too gut-wrenching for it to be love.

“Anytime, my dear,” he smiled at her. “Now, let’s get you something to eat and then get out of here. I made a promise to Richard to take care of you and I’m not about to be on the receiving end of his anger if I fail him.”

“I know I’m supposed to be this Mother Confessor and ruler of the Midlands, but…I’m scared, Zedd,” she admitted, turning away from him in embarrassment, her chin falling to her chest. “I guess I’m not much of a leader, am I?”

“On the contrary, Mother Confessor,” he replied, placing a reassuring hand on her back. “It makes you a very good leader. Fear can either make you or break you. You can allow it to drive you or you can let it defeat you and the Kahlan I know has never let it defeat her. And if you want to know a secret, I’m scared too.”

“I’m afraid the Kahlan you once knew is gone,” she softly confessed. “I’m scared she might never come back.”

Zedd chuckled lightly in response as he began to lead her towards the door. “Oh, there is definitely no fear in that happening,” he told her, withholding his own private fear of her mind breaking down soon if he didn’t get her to Aydindril. She didn’t need the added weight of that possibility right now. “You are still most definitely the Kahlan I know even though I know you might not feel like it.”

Kahlan swallowed hard, slowly nodding her head in acknowledgement as they descended the stairs. She couldn’t help but wonder where Richard was at right now, if he was even thinking of her at that moment. The heartache that had settled within her deepened and expanded with every step she took, knowing it was taking her further and further away from him.

She was furious with him, her heart laying in jagged pieces inside of her chest. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, something horrible happened. She just hadn’t expected it coming from the one person she had given her heart to.

XXX

As Kahlan and Zedd left Rothenberg on horseback, Nicci began to lead her Sisters of the Dark in from the opposite side of the city, knowing that the Seeker had been here recently. She had been able to formulate a spell to counteract the wizard’s spell, clearing the sky so she could follow the tracer cloud that she had created.

She was getting close. She could feel it in her bones.

She glanced at the novice who had been staying unusually close to her for the last few days. It stirred her suspicions about the novice’s motives for staying so near to her. What was even more suspicious was how Sister Iriana had also taken to spending more time near her.

Something had changed recently, something that wasn’t good. She had a feeling that someone, or more likely Darken Rahl, had asked the two of them to keep an eye on her, making sure that she didn’t turn away from the Keeper again. 

Darken Rahl had a secret agenda that Demos knew nothing about, one that included the Seeker. She had no doubt that Demos would try to keep Richard for himself, but he would find out the hard way that that was not going to happen. Darken and the Keeper had other plans for him.

Nicci knew they feared her failing them, turning away from their service, but they need not worry about that. She was more than determined to find the Seeker and deliver him to the Keeper as promised. Nothing was going to keep her from that – not the Mord’Sith, not the Wizard, and definitely not the Mother Confessor.

Richard would be dead and Kahlan would be on her way back to Demos Rahl who was no doubt growing more and more desperate to get his vile hands on her. She had never believed there could be someone worse than Darken Rahl, but then she had met Demos.

“Sister Nicci, the tracer cloud is heading west now instead of north,” Tash said. “Are you sure it’s working correctly?”

Nicci scowled darkly at her as she stopped to face her. “He is more than likely trying to lose us, but it will not work. We will find him and deliver him to the Keeper as promised.”

“My apologies for questioning you, Sister,” Tash apologized. “I was just concerned that maybe something had gone wrong.”

“Nothing is wrong,” Nicci bit out as the rest of the Sisters of the Dark averted their eyes, not wanting to stir the powerful sorceress’s ire.

“I’m sorry, Sister Nicci,” Tash murmured, looking away.

“Let’s go,” Nicci stated. “We’re wasting valuable time with your pointless questions. We are gaining on the Seeker and I’m not about to lose him this time.”

The Sisters of the Dark began to move again, making their way through the large town. People on the streets made every effort to avoid them, knowing they were dangerous. Nicci paused, turning to look back at her surroundings. 

Something inside of her prickled with an uneasy feeling. The Seeker and Mother Confessor had been here very recently. She could feel it. Her gaze narrowed as she swept over the people moving about the town taking care of their daily business.

They were very close indeed.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 15

Demos Rahl paced about the room like an animal possessed, knocking things over and kicking chairs out of his way. Mistress Sabina and Mistress Anya watched from their position by the door, uncertain of what had brought on this recent tirade.

Mistress Sabina internally cringed despite herself as a vase suddenly met its demise against the far wall. She silently prayed to the good spirits that she would not be on the receiving end of this tirade he was currently caught up in. She was still recovering from last night’s session.

Anya cast a sidelong glance at her fellow Sister of the Agiel, noticing the bruises that had formed around her neck, the dark purple bruise resting high on her cheekbone. Her heart hurt for her sister, knowing the tremendous torture she’d been put through last night.

She’d been the one to tend to her wounds after Demos had finally finished with her. They’d had to get the healer to come tend to her last night. It was a wonder Sabina was even able to stand upright today. It was a true testament to her strength and fortitude.

Anya’s attention was suddenly arrested by the Lord Rahl again when a book whizzed by her head, narrowly missing her. Neither risked speaking to him for fear they would end up on the receiving end of his blinding rage.

Fortunately, they didn’t need to intervene. The flames of the fire abruptly turned an eerie shade of green, glowing with the essence of the Underworld itself. Suddenly, Darken Rahl appeared in the midst of the flames, his image flickering with the flames that surrounded him.

“Brother,” Darken greeted him darkly. “I see you are rather…distressed…at the moment. What seems to be troubling you?”

“Kahlan and Richard were supposed to be here by now and yet they are nowhere to be found,” Demos roared, breathing heavily as he stalked towards his brother’s image. “You promised me your Sisters of the Dark would find them and bring them to me.”

“They are growing very close,” Darken revealed. “Richard and Kahlan can’t run forever. Soon, they will be here. Kahlan will be yours to do with as you please and Richard will be here in the Underworld with the Keeper.”

Demos glowered at his twin, suspicion rising. “What are you really up to, brother?”

An ominous smirk spread across Darken Rahl’s face as he adjusted the sleeve of his robe. “Now, what makes you think that I’m up to something other than what we’ve already discussed?”

“Because you’re a little too eager to help me get Kahlan,” Demos shot back. “There’s something more you’re planning. What is it?”

“I assure you that all I want is Richard,” Darken maintained. “You can have Kahlan free and clear, no strings attached. Richard is who the Keeper wants now.”

“What do you plan to do with him?” Demos demanded to know. There was definitely more to this than what Darken had revealed so far.

“You have no need to worry about him, brother,” Darken replied, clasping his hands before him. “He will be well taken care of I can promise you that.”

“Well, I have made a decision,” Demos announced, staring defiantly at his twin brother.

Darken instantly stiffened, a scowl forming on his face. “What sort of decision have you come to?”

“I’m taking an army and going after Kahlan and Richard myself,” he informed him. “I’m not going to sit around here any longer waiting for what I want. I’m personally going after it.”

“You need to give Nicci and her Sisters more time,” Darken growled. “It’s only been a few days.”

“I’ve been waiting for far longer than that and I’m not doing it any longer,” Demos sneered. “I want Kahlan now.”

“You are a fool if you think you’re going to be able to get to her without my help,” Darken spat out.

“Your help has gotten me nowhere,” Demos yelled. “I’m leaving at dawn for Aydindril and nothing you do or say is going to stop me.”

“We’ll just see about that, brother,” Darken snarled before disappearing from sight, the flames of the fire returning to normal.

Demos turned to his faithful Mord’Sith standing guard at the door. “Tell General Karnes to prepare the army. We leave at dawn and find Mistress Natalie. I am in need of her services again.”

Sabina released a relieved breath as she quickly left to see to his orders. While feeling horrible for what awaited Natalie, she couldn’t help but be thankful for the reprieve from his focused attentions. She could barely walk today after his violent session with her last night, every step she took causing pain to lance through her body.

As she made her way to the Mord’Sith’s quarters, she couldn’t help but be happy that their Lord Rahl was going to be gone for a while. Hopefully, once he got his hands on the Mother Confessor, he would leave her and her Sisters alone.

XXX

Cara was growing more and more agitated the further they went. They’d been travelling all day and well into the evening since they’d left Rothenberg early this morning, stopping only long enough to refill their water skins or eat a quick bite.

Richard had barely said more than a handful of words all day, his mood darkening and becoming more despondent the further from Kahlan they got. She knew that was the root problem for his foul mood and she couldn’t take it any longer.

“That’s it!” Cara suddenly exclaimed, coming to an abrupt stop.

Richard stopped and turned at her unexpected outburst, a confused frown on his face. “What are you talking about?”

“You!” she snapped, throwing her hands up in the air. “If this is the way you’re going to be the entire time you’re away from her then we’re heading straight for Aydindril right now.”

“I’m fine, Cara,” he claimed with a scowl. “We need to keep moving.”

“You are not fine,” she insisted. “You’re a moping miserable mess.”

Richard drew a deep breath in an attempt to quell his anger before forcing a response through clenched teeth. “Sorry if I’m not overly excited about all this, but Kahlan probably hates me right now and will never forgive me for what I did by leaving her so pardon my mood.”

“She won’t hate you,” Cara told him. “She’ll be upset with you, but she’ll forgive you in time.”

“Cara, Kahlan needs me now more than ever and I’m not there for her,” he said, his anger swelling in his chest. “None of this makes any sense to her. She already feels so lost and I just abandoned her.”

“You did what you had to do to save her life,” Cara firmly reminded him. “She’ll understand. Besides, Zedd is with her. He’ll take good care of her and get her safely to Aydindril.”

“It’s not the same and you know it,” he barked, averting his eyes. “I’m the only one she really remembers and even that isn’t very much. It’s just fractured images that make no sense to her. She doesn’t remember the first time we met, our first kiss that night after she woke from a nightmare, the first time we were together – none of it.

“And yet, she knows me because of the bond we share. She feels it inside her as strongly as I do and yet I abandoned her.”

“The guilt you feel now is nothing compared to the horrible guilt you would’ve felt if you had led Nicci directly to Kahlan,” Cara pointed out. “Now, you can either accept that you are doing what you have to do in order to save her or you can keep wallowing in self-pity. Either way, it changes nothing.”

Richard ground his teeth, knowing she was right. It didn’t make him feel any better, though. “You’re right,” he admitted with a weary sigh. “I’m sorry, Cara.”

“I don’t want you to be sorry,” she told him. “I want your head in this because Nicci is going to find us soon and you have to be ready.”

“I am ready,” he maintained. “I just hope that Zedd and Kahlan are alright.”

Cara shook her head in unbelief. “I’m sure they’re fine. They’re not the ones with a group of insane Sisters of the Dark hot on their heels.”

“I’m sorry, Cara,” he softly repeated. “You know you don’t have to come with me. You’re free to go whenever you chose.”

The Mord’Sith gave him a hard look, her hands on her hips and her lips pursed. “I’ve gotten this far with you. Why stop now when it’s just getting good?”

Richard couldn’t help but smile in response, his heart not quite as heavy as it had just been. “Do you really think Kahlan will forgive me?”

“She’ll have to,” Cara replied as they began walking again. “You two can’t live without each other. Besides, as in love as the two of you are, no one else would take you.”

“Well, the sooner this is over with and Kahlan and I are married the happier I’ll be,” Richard stated as he scanned their surroundings. “I won’t be able to relax until I know that Demos is in the Underworld with his twin brother.”

“And what then?” Cara demanded to know, her hands finding her hips in that characteristic way that was just so Cara.

“What do mean ‘what then’?” Richard asked with a scowl.

“What about D’Hara and the People’s Palace? You will be the rightful ruler to the throne. You will need to assume the title of Lord Rahl once Demos is gone.”

“I don’t want to be the rule of D’Hara,” he insisted as he turned away from her. “I’m the Seeker…nothing more.”

Cara suddenly grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him to a stop. He internally winced at the fire that blazed in her green eyes. “You have a duty not only to the people of D’Hara, but also the Mord’Sith. We are bound to you. You are the magic against magic as we are the steel against steel. Without it, there is no balance.”

“Cara, I don’t know how to rule a territory,” the Seeker ground out, his anger growing hot again. “I am a woods’ guide. That is where I grew up and that is what I know.”

“You didn’t know anything about being the Seeker or how to wield the Sword of Truth and yet you have mastered it because you have an innate knowledge that was born within you. You have saved countless lives because you were destined for this,” she shot back. “You know in your heart that you were born for so much more than just being a woods’ guide. You don’t believe in prophecy and yet it is filled with references to you and Kahlan.”

Richard felt all of his anger suddenly deflate with her words. He did know in his heart that he was meant to be more, but he didn’t know if he was ready to accept that yet. All he wanted in his life was to be Kahlan’s husband, the father of her children. Why couldn’t life be that simple for them?

“I don’t know the first thing about leading a territory,” he admitted, averting his eyes from the heat of her scrutinizing gaze. 

“No one said that you had to do it alone. Kahlan, Zedd, and I will all be there to help you.”

“We have to stop Sister Nicci before going after Demos, Cara,” he pointed out in exasperation as he began to make his way through the woods again.

“How much further west are we going to go before heading north to Aydindril?” Cara inquired as she followed him.

“Probably just another day before we’ll cut north,” Richard decided. “That should give Kahlan and Zedd enough time on horseback to make a good run for Aydindril.”

“We should find a place to set up camp for the night soon,” Cara cautioned him. “It’s getting to be almost too dark to see anything.”

“Alright, but we can’t afford to build a fire tonight,” he reminded her, looking up at the darkening sky. “That would be all we need is to build a beacon that would draw Nicci straight to us.”

XXX

Kahlan pulled her green blanket up a little more around her shoulders as she sat by the campfire, staring into the flickering flames before her. The horses that Zedd had been able to find for them in Rothenberg whinnied softly from somewhere behind her where they were tied to a nearby tree. 

She couldn’t stop wondering where Richard was at that moment, struggling to come to terms with the fact that he had left her behind without saying anything. He had made love to her last night, held her close and had made her feel so safe and secure only to wake up this morning to find herself all alone. The man who had pledged his love, swore to never leave her had done just that. What was she supposed to think? How was she supposed to accept that?

One of the horses snorted in excitement, stomping its hoof as Zedd fed him what was left of his apple. The wizard patted the horse’s head, scratching his ears as he watched Kahlan from where he stood in the shadows. It had been a very long day of travel, but the horses had definitely helped to conserve some of Kahlan’s strength.

She had been quiet all day, keeping to herself and obviously lost to her thoughts that no doubt centered on the Seeker. He could tell that she was still angry with him and she had every right. Things had been more than difficult for her as it was, but Richard’s sudden absence had definitely made things that much worse.

He knew that Richard had done what he felt was necessary to save Kahlan’s life. It had been one of the hardest things that he’d ever had to do and he was certain that Kahlan would eventually understand it someday once he’d been able to restore her memories for her.

Right now, things were too chaotic, not only in her life but also in her mind, for her to truly understand. Her heart knew Richard, but her mind…her thoughts…wouldn’t allow her to see that it was because he loved her so much that he had been forced to leave her. All she knew was that the one person that was her stronghold was gone now and she had no idea if he was ever going to make it back to them.

Zedd quietly made his way to her, dropping his pack by a tree stump before settling on the ground in front of it. With a heavy sigh, he leaned his weary back against the stump as he stretched out his long legs. “At this rate, we should be in Aydindril in another couple of days.”

Kahlan nodded silently in response, unable to make her voice work. They would be in Aydindril soon, but without Richard. It made her heart hurt. She drew her legs up, her chin coming to rest on top of her knees as she continued to stare into the fire.

“He loves you, Kahlan,” Zedd gently said, interrupting the stillness of the night as well as the anguish that hung thickly in the air.

“If he truly loved me, he wouldn’t have left me,” she sadly murmured, her broken heart more than evident in her face. “He would be here with me now like he had promised.”

“You know the only reason that he left you was to protect you from the Sisters of the Dark,” he reminded her again, his tone gentle but firm as he took some dried meat from his pack and began chewing on it. “I know you don’t remember her, but Sister Nicci is the most powerful sorceress to ever live. Stopping her will be next to impossible.”

“Why can’t he see that I don’t care if Nicci and her Sisters find us?” Kahlan asked, raising her chin to look at the wizard. “We can face them together…as a team, but he always insists on trying to shield me, to sacrifice himself for me. Why am I not allowed to do the same for him?”

“I know it’s difficult to understand right now, but when you get your memories back you’ll finally understand that this is just the way Richard is…always has been,” Zedd attempted to explain to her. “He doesn’t know any other way, but to give everything he has in order to protect the ones that he loves and he loves no one in the world more than he loves you, Kahlan.

“Leaving you was probably one of the most difficult things that he’s ever had to do, but your life means more to him than his own happiness.”

Kahlan drew a shuddering breath as unwanted tears pooled in her eyes. She struggled to understand it all; nothing made sense to her anymore especially now with Richard gone. It felt as though she was tumbling in an endless freefall of madness and confusion and the one person that had helped to keep her together was spirits knew where right then.

Gazing up into the night sky, her eyes fell on the bright glow of the moon overhead. She wondered where he was at that moment. Was he still alive or had Sister Nicci gotten to him already? Was he even thinking of her? Missed her?

“I miss him so much it hurts,” she softly confessed as she shifted to lay down on her bedroll beside the fire, pulling her pack under head to use as a pillow.

“I know it does, my dear, but he’ll be back with you just as soon as he can,” Zedd replied, hoping that she’d be able to get a good night’s sleep again. She was going to need it if they were going to make it to Aydindril in the next couple of days. “He can’t stay away from you for very long.”

Kahlan attempted to stifle a yawn as her eyes grew heavy. She knew that when Richard had left this morning, he had taken her heart with him. Despite how much she missed him, she was still more than angry with him. 

He had promised her that he would never leave her and he had done just that. She didn’t know how she was going to be able to trust him again if they ever made it out of this alive. He had hurt her more than he could begin to imagine.

As sleep began to take hold of her, Kahlan couldn’t help but imagine that he was here with her now, his body pressed up against her back and his strong arms wrapped protectively around her, his masculine scent permeating her senses and soothing her soul. She longed to feel that again someday soon, but feared that she never would.

XXX

Richard swiftly held up a hand to Cara as he suddenly came to an abrupt stop, his raptor gaze searching the trees. The forest had suddenly gone silent all around them, alerting him to the fact that something was coming for them. They had gotten up early this morning just before the sun had begun to rise, wanting to get another good start on the day with hopes of heading north tomorrow. Unfortunately, he had a sinking feeling that it hadn’t helped them evade their predators.

Cara immediately scowled in response to the Seeker’s silent signal, reaching for her agiels as she too began to scan the area. She heard the almost imperceptible sound of a twig snapping, causing her insides to seize with unspeakable apprehension. They were here.

Using her agiel, she pointed towards a thick clump of trees, wanting Richard to get behind them as quickly as possible before he ended up with a Dacra in his back. She didn’t like the idea of being snuck up on. She turned her back to him as she slowly walked backwards, her green eyes constantly searching the area for any signs of an impending ambush.

She caught glimpses of orange like flames amongst the trees and brush of the forest that surrounded them, moving slowly and as silently as possible. She needed to get Richard out of here before Sister Nicci could get her claws into him…or a Dacra. The thought caused ice cold fear to trickle through her veins.

If they were able to get a Dacra into him, they would be able to control him with their magic, end his life with as simple as releasing their control on their Han. There would be little she could actually do if that happened, the breath of life not even saving him with that Dacra still in him.

Richard was the future of D’Hara, their only hope for a better life not only for her, but for her Sisters of the Agiel as well as the territory. She also couldn’t let Kahlan down. She needed to get Richard safely to Aydindril for her sake. She couldn’t bear the thought of being the one to look Kahlan in the eye and tell her that Richard didn’t make it.

With sword tightly in hand, Richard peered around the trunk of one of the trees, more than prepared for a fight to the death if it meant that Kahlan would be safe. As desperate as he was to return to her, he was just as determined to give up his life if it meant she would live.

He knew they were vastly outnumbered; the chances of them making it out of this battle alive slim. Sister Nicci was extremely powerful and behind her were more than enough Sisters of the Dark to take them out even if they were able to contain Nicci.

Cara silently slipped in beside him, agiels gripped firmly in her hands as her narrowed gaze continued to scan the trees. They were going to be lucky if they got through this in one piece. Her mind raced with every possible outcome as well as ways to get out of this without being forced into a fight.

The Mord’Sith felt a tap on her shoulder, forcing her to look behind her. Richard pointed towards a rock formation to their left, one that was partially obscured with vines and brush. She frowned in confusion as she looked from the rock formation to the Seeker. There was no place to go. They would be forced to make a stand here.

Richard signaled for her to follow him which she did reluctantly. They quickly but quietly made their way towards the spot that Richard had noticed, the Seeker erasing their tracks as they went. Cara finally noticed what Richard had seen – a small opening that led into a shallow cave. 

Richard quickly pushed aside the vines and foliage, pushing Cara in first before swiftly following her. Once inside, he began adjusting the vines again, concealing the entrance to the small cave. There was barely enough room for the both of them in there, but it was going to have to do if they wanted to avoid a fight. They held their breath as the muted sounds of movement through the woods began to grow more noticeable, the hushed whispered voices filling the eerie silence that permeated the area. 

Peering through the vines and branches, Richard spotted the long blonde hair of Sister Nicci as she approached the area they had just been in. She stood there for a long moment, looking around as if sensing their presence, but unable to locate them.

“Sister Nicci,” Tash softly said. “Shouldn’t they be here?”

“They’re close,” Nicci revealed. “Keep looking. We won’t stop until we have the Seeker and Mother Confessor.”

“What will Demos do with them?” Tash asked.

“Kahlan will be given to Demos to do as he pleases with her and Richard will be sent to the Keeper to be dealt with.”

The Seeker ground his teeth in fury, his heart racing. He forced himself to stay where he was when everything inside of him wanted to run his blade through Nicci’s heart. He was not about to allow her to get her hands on Kahlan to give to Demos.

He could feel Cara’s calming hand as it gently came to rest on his forearm. It was as if she could read his thoughts. He turned to look at her, finding it difficult to see her in the darkness of the shallow cave and yet he could tell she was telling him to stay put.

He readjusted his hold on the hilt of his sword, the palm of his hand clammy. He could feel sweat trickle down his back as they waited for Nicci and her Sisters of the Dark to move on. His legs began to cramp the longer they stayed wedged in there, but they couldn’t leave yet.

“Move on,” Nicci finally said. “They may have made a run for Nicobarese before cutting northeast for Aydindril.”

“They would have to get through the Rang’Shada Mountains first if they try that,” Tash replied.

“Don’t question me,” Nicci sneered. “Just move. We’re closing in on them. I will not allow the Seeker to escape me again.”

“Yes, Sister Nicci,” Tash humbly murmured before moving on with her fellow Sisters of the Dark.

Nicci waited for another moment, looking around. Something told her she was very close, closer than they had ever been. Turning to follow her fellow Sisters, she knew that it was only a matter of time now before Richard and Kahlan would be hers.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 16

The soft sounds of the crackling of the fire mingled with the gentle clatter of the forest that surrounded them. Chirps and hoots, scurrying and scratching created a soothing backdrop as the nightly veil of darkness encompassed them along with Zedd’s steady snores.

A pair of eyes stared out from the dark shadows of the woods, observing her prey as they slept soundly, both unaware that they were even being watched. Her gaze shifted from one sleeping form to the other…to the one that she had come for.

She silently shifted closer to their small camp, her focused gaze never leaving the one that she wanted. She paused as she looked down at the sleeping form of the wizard, making sure that he was truly asleep before slipping closer still to the Mother Confessor.

She would not be denied what she had come for. Now with the Seeker gone, she would be able to take what she wanted, ensuring the safety of the world as well as the future. Approaching Kahlan, she knelt down beside her, stretching out her hand and closing her eyes as she softly began to chant a spell that would seal the Mother Confessor’s fate.

“Shota!”

The witch woman froze with the unexpected roar of Zedd’s booming voice, a sneer forming on her lips. “Leave me be, Zeddicus,” she darkly warned him as she closed her eyes again to continue the spell.

Kahlan awoke to find Shota leaning over her, causing her to sit up and scoot back away from her. “What do you want with me?” Kahlan yelled.

Shota sank back on her heels as she glared at the Mother Confessor. “You must come with me to Agaden Reach or all hope will be lost.”

“Shota, I warned you,” Zedd threatened as he leapt to his feet, furious with the witch’s continual interference. “Stay away from her or you’ll have to face me and we both know how that will turn out.”

Shota growled in anger as she stood to her feet as well. “You are a fool, Zeddicus, if you think I will give up trying to take her with me,” she spat out, her eyes flashing with indignant ire.

“Why, Shota?” Zedd ordered her to answer him. “Why is it so dire for Kahlan to go with you to Agaden Reach? You have yet to give me a straight answer.”

“I told you that the prophecy has forked,” Shota snapped. “Things have become even more urgent than ever before. If she doesn’t come with me, Richard will die and the world as we know it will come to an end.”

Zedd closed the distance between them, wanting to keep Kahlan as far away from Shota as possible. “What does Kahlan coming with you to the Reach have anything to do with this?” 

“I can protect her there far better than any of you can,” Shota revealed, her voice hard with frustration. “She will not be safe anywhere else but with me.”

“Why?” Kahlan asked, standing to her feet as well. “What is going to happen to Richard?”

“I am sorry, Kahlan, but you cannot marry Richard,” Shota stated. “I have foreseen what will come from your union if you continue down this path. It will end in Richard’s death and the end of the world.”

“Shota!” Zedd yelled with equal anger. “You know as well as I do that prophecy rarely turns out as foreseen.”

“You have not seen what I have, Zeddicus,” Shota hissed. “I know what I saw and I know what will come if Richard and Kahlan continue down this path, if their union creates a child.”

Kahlan frowned with the witch’s words, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Her hand instinctively fell to her abdomen, her mind racing with the things Shota told them. This couldn’t be happening. “But the prophecy…”

“I told you the original prophecy as forked,” Shota yelled with growing exasperation. “The original prophecy that spoke of Richard following his deepest desire has shifted. Not only will you die, but he will as well now. That is why I’m trying to keep the both of you alive by taking you away from here.”

“How long would I have to stay in Agaden Reach?” Kahlan asked, despair taking root in her heart with the thought of not seeing Richard.

Shota drew a deep breath, almost appearing remorseful as she thoughtfully chose her next words. “I’m afraid it would be indefinitely. You can never see or be near Richard ever again, Kahlan. It’s far too dangerous for both of you.”

Tears instantly blurred Kahlan’s vision as she tried to make sense of it all. Any which way she tried to look at it, she was going to lose Richard either by death or by distance. The thought alone stole her breath, her heart constricting painfully in her chest.

“No…” Kahlan gasped as the tears began to spill down her cheeks. “There…there has to be another way. Please…”

“I’m afraid there isn’t, my dear,” Shota replied, sounding sympathetic…almost. “This is the only way to save you both and ensure the future of the Seeker and the last living Mother Confessor. You need to move on, Kahlan, find someone else to help you continue the line of Confessors if you want to save Richard’s life.”

“Then I…I guess I have no choice,” Kahlan choked out through her tears, taking a step closer to Shota.

“Kahlan, stop!” Zedd angrily shouted. “Do not listen to her!”

“I have to go with her, Zedd,” Kahlan cried, panic lacing her voice. “If I don’t go with her, Richard will die. I can’t live knowing that I could prevent that from happening.”

“Kahlan, you have to listen to me,” Zedd firmly said, moving to stand beside Shota. “You cannot go with her. She only sees what she wants to see in prophecy. There is any number of outcomes that could come to fruition with prophecy. Shota is only telling you one of those possibilities. Going with Shota won’t guarantee that you and Richard will be safe.”

“But it could,” Kahlan shook her head, trying to connect her thoughts, but it was becoming more difficult by the moment.

She held her head in her hands, fighting back the rush of anguish that coursed through her. Her head was pounding mercilessly, the pressure growing. She felt more confused than ever, nausea roiling inside of her. She just wanted Richard here with her now, longed to feel his arms around her, his soothing voice telling her that everything was going to be alright…how much he loved her.

“If you truly love Richard…if you want him to live, you must come with me right now, Kahlan,” Shota adamantly stated, taking a step closer to her as she offered a hand to her again. 

Zedd immediately reached out, grabbing hold of Shota’s arm and jerking her back away from Kahlan. “Stay away from her, Shota, or I swear I will make sure you live to regret it.”

Shota snarled at Zedd, breathing heavily as rage burned through her despite the shudder that his threat had caused to shoot through her. “This is on your head if they die, Zedd.”

“Leave, Shota, and don’t come back,” Zedd ordered her.

With a wave of her hand, Shota disappeared from before their eyes, leaving them alone in the stillness of the night. Zedd turned his attention to Kahlan who was visibly trembling as tears trickled down her face. He immediately went to her, gathering her in his arms and holding her close.

“It’ll be alright, Kahlan,” he gently reassured her. “Please, you need to trust me. I would never knowingly put your life or Richard’s life in danger. If I thought for one moment that Shota was right, I wouldn’t stand in the way of you leaving with her, but I know she is wrong.”

“I just don’t know what to believe anymore,” she admitted with shuddering gasps. “Everything is so confusing.”

“I know it is, dear one,” he gently replied, his worst fear about the layered spell being realized. It was causing her mind to breakdown more quickly than he had anticipated, clouding her thoughts and making things harder for her to understand. “Once we get you to Aydindril, it will be my very first priority to remove Demos’s spell and then everything will begin to make sense for you again. You’ll understand why Richard had to leave and remember why you can never trust Shota.”

Kahlan didn’t reply as she pulled out of his embrace. She turned away from him, wiping the tears from her eyes as she struggled to gather her thoughts as well as the dread that continued to simmer deep within her. She quickly returned to her bedroll, pulling her green blanket around her and wishing more than anything that it was Richard.

Zedd released a ragged sigh as he watched Kahlan for a long moment before returning to his post by the tree stump. He rubbed his weary eyes, his worry for Kahlan growing with how rapidly her mind was beginning to fail her.

It was only a matter of time now before it shut down completely; leaving her as nothing but an empty shell of the woman they had once known. He had a dreadful feeling there would be absolutely nothing that could be done to repair the damage then.

XXX

Richard kept glancing back over his shoulder as he and Cara swiftly made their way through the woods on their way to Aydindril. They had been able to evade Nicci and her Sisters of the Dark since nearly being caught yesterday. They had managed to stay as invisible as was humanly possible, but the Seeker feared that their time was rapidly running out.

Sister Nicci was closing in fast again. He could sense it, could practically feel her breathing down their necks. He had a bad feeling that they were going to have to face off against her and her Sisters sooner than he had anticipated.

He couldn’t help but let his thoughts drift to Kahlan once more, his worry spiking. She was never far from his thoughts, always right there lingering in the recesses like a soothing balm to his tormented soul. He hoped that she and Zedd would be able to make it to Aydindril soon. Hopefully with a little luck, he and Cara would be there in a couple more days or so as well.

Unfortunately, luck was rarely ever on their side.

His heart stuttered as he thought about her. He missed her beautiful long raven hair that was like touching the finest silk. He missed the sound of her voice, the bright sparkle of her sapphire eyes that managed to steal his breath every time he looked at her, the feel of his body deep inside of hers connecting them as one. He ached to see her smile, the special one reserved just for him, but he was going to have to wait a few more days before he would get to see her again, hold her in his arms or taste her sweet lips.

Looking to the sky, Richard noticed the tracer cloud hanging heavily above them, following their every move. He had attempted to escape it for a little while, taking a different path, cutting back and around before resuming their trek to Aydindril. It had proven futile in trying to evade a confrontation that he knew was coming, the cloud following every move he made.

He released a long ragged breath, his hand coming to rest on the hilt of his sword, his fingers absentmindedly caressing the steel. He missed Kahlan so much it hurt, but he knew in his heart that he had done the right thing in leaving her with Zedd. He just hoped that she would see it that way too someday.

“I know that brooding expression. It’s the same one you had yesterday.”

Richard cast a sidelong glance at the Mord’Sith who had been walking silently by his side for the better part of the afternoon. “I am not brooding.”

“You look like a lovesick schoolboy who has lost his one and only true love,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “This is far from over. You know you will see Kahlan again and then we won’t be able to pry the two of you from her bedroom at the Confessor’s Palace for days.”

“I know I will, but it doesn’t make being separated from her any easier,” he pointed out with growing irritation. “I can’t help but worry about her, Cara. I have no idea how she is doing or where she’s at right now. She could hate me now for all I know.”

“Well, you’re going to have to deal with Sister Nicci first before you can see her,” Cara reminded him.

“I know that too,” he admitted, his jaw clenching tightly. “Nicci’s closing in on us again. I can feel it.”

“Let’s hope the confrontation comes before it gets too dark to fight,” Cara commented.

“I’d like to avoid one altogether,” Richard grumbled with a scowl.

Cara looked at him incredulously. “We both know that’s not going to happen.”

Richard sighed heavily, raking his fingers back through his chestnut brown hair. “I can hope, can’t I?”

“Of course you can,” Cara agreed with a nod of affirmation, “but just don’t count on me to be as optimistic.”

Richard snorted in amusement. “The day you display optimism is the day that I…”

The Seeker froze in mid-sentence as he raised his hand to silence his companion from any further conversation. Cara immediately reached for her agiels, her brow furrowing as she quickly began to scan their wooded surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of what caught the Seeker’s attention.

They both listened intently for several long moments, hearing nothing and yet knowing that something or someone was there with them. Whether it was human or not remained to be seen as Richard slowly drew his sword, the soft recognizable ring of its release filling the air around them.

“Richard Cypher…it’s been far too long.”

The fine hairs on the back of his neck prickled with the sound of her voice. His heart began to race, knowing the battle he’d hoped to avoid had finally come. He slowly turned to find Sister Nicci standing behind them, ten Sisters of the Dark lined up behind her and staring him down with Dacras in hand.

He felt Cara grow rigid beside him, her anger and frustration more than palpable. He felt it too. “I don’t want to fight you, Nicci,” Richard heatedly stated, his raptor gaze focused solely on her.

A smirk played on Nicci’s lips as she met his glare with one of her own. “I’m disappointed,” she replied with a slight pout. “You’re making this far easier for me than I had anticipated. I was looking forward to a real battle with you.”

Richard clutched his sword firmly in his hands, keeping it raised in front of him. “What happened to you, Nicci? I thought you had decided to leave the service of the Keeper. What brought you back?”

“My Sisters of the Dark helped me to see the error of my ways,” she explained with a cold hard glower.

Richard allowed his gaze to wander to the other sisters gathered behind Nicci, sensing something that he had not sensed in Nicci before, something far darker than anything he’d ever felt in her before. “They brainwashed you with a spell, didn’t they?” he guessed, sympathy flooding his chestnut brown eyes. “What did they do to you, Nicci?”

Nicci was momentarily taken aback by the compassion that filled Richard’s voice, the concern that suddenly permeated his dark brown eyes. It forced her to pause for a moment as emotions and thoughts long forgotten struggled to rise to the surface.

“They reminded me where my loyalties and gratitude truly laid,” she shot back, forcing herself to remain focused. She couldn’t let the Seeker get to her again like he had the last time.

“You don’t have to do this, Nicci,” Richard warned her. “You are your own person. You don’t have to serve anyone. You can make your own decisions; live your life the way that you want.”

“Actually, I do,” she evenly replied, fighting the internal war that was growing deep inside of her. “I was sent to bring Kahlan back to your brother Demos Rahl and you will be delivered to the Keeper.”

“You will never get your hands on Kahlan as long as there is breath in my body,” Richard fiercely growled, the righteous rage of the Seeker pumping furiously through his veins as he took a rigid stance before her.

Nicci casually glanced around her, noticing that the Mother Confessor was nowhere in sight. “Where is she, Richard?” she asked. “I know you would never go far without her. She still owns your heart, does she not? You true love?”

“Leave Kahlan out of this,” he hissed, the blade of his sword beginning to turn white. 

“It would be a failure on my part if I don’t deliver both of you to the People’s Palace,” Nicci coolly stated. “I will not fail the Keeper again. Where is Kahlan?”

“You’ll never get your hands on her,” Richard smugly informed her. “She’s not here and you will never find her.”

Nicci bristled, clenching her jaw as she scowled at the Seeker and his faithful Mord’Sith, jealous rage flooding her system. “By the time I am through with you, you will tell me everything that I want to know including where Kahlan is. If you’re lucky, I may let her live or I might just gut her with my Dacra and leave her to bleed.”

“I’d rather take my own life than allow you to get anywhere near her,” Richard grounded out with a deadly calm that sent a shiver up Nicci’s spine.

“Faithful to the very end, aren’t you? What is it about her that has you so willing to give up your own life for her?”

A smile spread across his face as he gazed at Nicci with pity in his eyes. “Kahlan is everything that is pure and good and beautiful in this world. She is a ray of light on the darkest day and the warmth of the sun in the coldest night and there is absolutely nothing in this world that I wouldn’t give or do for her.”

Nicci appraised him for a long moment, taken aback by his heartfelt confession of love for the Mother Confessor. She felt a sharp stab of jealousy suddenly pierce her heart, temporarily breaking through the powerful spell her Sisters of the Dark had placed on her to turn her back to the Keeper’s service.

She was reminded once more of the overwhelming love that she had experienced when she had nearly died in that cave, the love conveyed in the gentle brush of his lips against hers as he had kissed his Kahlan goodbye, the feel of his agonizing tears splashing on her face. She had never experienced anything like it before, shaking her to the very core of her being. She had no idea that real love like that could exist, one free of manipulation or conditions, one freely given from the heart.

“You will never see her again,” Nicci suddenly snapped, shaking herself free from her reverie. “Kill the Mord’Sith and bring me the Seeker! I want him alive for now!”

Cara immediately moved so that her back faced Richard’s, more than prepared for this fight that had been coming for far too long. She raised a hand towards one Sister of the Dark who raced towards her, keeping the sorceress’s magic at bay long enough to ram her agiel into the young woman’s neck, ending her life.

It didn’t take long, though, for another sister to take her place, but the Mord’Sith was more than prepared for the battle. With expert skill, she blocked a Dacra before spinning to her right and slamming her agiel into another Sister of the Dark.

Richard skillfully wielded his sword, blocking each Dacra that came at him, spinning on his heel and raising his sword at the last moment. His blood was practically singing with the powerful magic of the sword that he brandished, inundating him and helping him to anticipate moves before they actually happened.

Nicci watched as one by one her Sisters of the Dark fell to the Seeker and the Mord’Sith, her anger flaring hotly in her core. At the same time, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the skill and precision with which Richard moved, his sword a literal extension of himself as she watched his blade slice through Sister Tash, sending her to the Keeper.

Richard gritted his teeth against the pain that suddenly sliced through his arm as one of the Sisters of the Dark sent a bolt of magic at him. The stench of burnt flesh filled his nostrils, but he ignored it as his boot connected with another sorceress intent on taking him out, his sword following her to the ground and finishing her off.

He spun on his heel, his sword thrusting into another sister. With a sneer on his lips, he turned his attention on Sister Nicci who stood watching his every move with great interest. There was an indescribable glint in her eye that only fueled his anger even further.

He caught a glimpse of Cara finishing off a couple of Sisters of the Dark as he stalked towards Sister Nicci, his jaw clenched tightly with determination to end this once and for all. He was not about to allow this to go any further, knowing that she wanted to take Kahlan away from him.

Sister Nicci smirked as she watched the Seeker storming towards her, raising her hands in preparation for a fight. “You will not win, Richard,” she warned him. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I will not let you lay one finger on Kahlan,” Richard hissed, adjusting his grip on the hilt of his sword as he stared her down.

Nicci appraised him for a long moment, her smile growing. “And just how do you plan on doing that?”

“With my life if necessary,” Richard stated.

“You won’t live long enough to stop me from getting to Kahlan,” Nicci stated, throwing her hands out at the Seeker and releasing a powerful blast of magic.

Cara suddenly stepped in front of him, raising her hand and blocking the sorceress’s magic. She steeled herself against the intense magic that threatened to overwhelm her as Richard quickly moved in from the other side, prepared to take her out.

Nicci shot out her other hand out towards Richard as well, his sword coming up in time to block the blast that nearly knocked him back off of his feet. He grunted at the intensity of the magic that began to push him backwards, his boots skidding in the dirt as he tried to regain his footing.

He summoned every ounce of strength he could possibly muster in an effort to keep from being crushed, the heat of the magical blast hot against his face and hands. He growled in rage as he struggled to press against her magic, pushing closer to her in an effort to stop her.

Nicci sneered as she poured more magic into her blasts, but Cara wasn’t having any of it. With the sorceress’s attention torn between the two of them, she pushed the advantage, finally turning the blast back on Nicci. 

The sorceress flew back with the force of the magic that had been turned back on her, landing hard on her back. Richard sagged, breathing hard as he struggled to calm his racing heart. He watched as Cara raced towards Nicci, kneeling over her with agiel in hand.

“Don’t, Cara!” Richard yelled just before the Mord’Sith could finish her off with her agiel.

Cara looked up at him with shock, stunned disbelief in her eye. “We have to end this, Richard.”

“No, I will not end her life,” Richard told her, sheathing his sword. “This was not her choice. She was brainwashed into serving the Keeper again. I will not take her life when it wasn’t her doing.”

“Are you crazy?” Cara demanded to know as she stood to her feet. 

“No, she goes with us,” Richard evenly stated. 

“You do remember that this is the same woman who wants you dead and wants to take Kahlan back to Demos Rahl?”

“I know that, Cara,” Richard bit out, “but she goes with us. I will not take her life when she was being manipulated by the Keeper and the Sisters of the Dark.”

Cara just shook her head as she turned to look at Sister Nicci lying unconscious on the ground. “He never ceases to amaze me,” she grumbled under her breath as she knelt down and began tying Nicci’s hands together.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 17

Kahlan’s stomach dropped into her boots as a magnificent looking city began to come into view on the distant horizon. Aydindril. Zedd had told her they were getting close, but she hadn’t anticipated arriving here quite this quickly or the significance that the city would obviously hold.

She couldn’t help glancing back over her shoulder again, hoping that Richard would somehow be there, finding his way back to her already. She released a disheartened sigh as she returned her gaze back to the city before her.

Aydindril was overwhelming even from this distance. She couldn’t begin to imagine how much worse it would be when she was actually surrounded by it all. She had no idea what she was even doing, no clue about being a Mother Confessor let alone what one was, but she was about to find out the hard way, being thrown into the heart of it all whether she was ready or not.

Zedd had tried to explain what her duties were and what her position truly meant to the Midlands, but it was still all so confusing. She was having a hard time connecting her thoughts, making sense of everything. It didn’t help that Richard wasn’t here with her.

It left her feeling even more bewildered…unsettled. For some reason she didn’t quite understand, Richard had helped to keep her grounded, made the fierce storm that surrounded her that much more bearable. He gave her hope when she had none, confidence when hers had somehow disappeared.

Now, she was going to have to face all of this without him…possibly forever.

She had no idea if he was even still alive, if he would ever be able to find his way back to her. Right now, she was far too angry with him to dwell on it for too long. She silently shook herself free from the disparaging thoughts that besieged her, forcing herself to dig deep and search for the courage that she would need to do this.

There was a small flicker of hope in all of this. Hopefully, Zedd would be able to find what he needed at this Wizard’s Keep in order to restore her memories. Maybe by the time Richard and Cara returned, she’d have them all back and they could finally be married.

Of course, her memory wasn’t the only thing standing in their way. Demos Rahl was still alive and wanted both of them for his wicked reason. She internally shuddered with just the thought of him alone, the idea of him touching her making her heart pound and her skin crawl.

She knew that Richard would not rest until Demos was dead. The thought of him going after his brother scared her to end, but she knew that nothing was going to keep him from seeing it through to the end…even if he eventually discovered what she now knew to be true.

Her hand fell to her abdomen, momentarily caressing it before settling on the pummel of the saddle again. She had known since the morning that Richard had left her that she was with child, but she couldn’t tell him. She didn’t want to tell Zedd yet, not with Shota’s haunting words continually filling her ears and haunting her mind. It had only served to inflame her feelings of fear and dread all the more.

She didn’t want to tell anyone yet. Richard deserved to know first, but what if he never came back? What if he died not even knowing that they had created a child together the night before he had left her, their intimate love for one another creating something amazing and special?

Kahlan swallowed hard, nausea roiling in her stomach and threatening to find a way of escape. While elated to be carrying his baby, she was also afraid of Richard never coming back to her, terrified of what Shota had said the night before about them conceiving a child together. How would she be able to raise this baby alone when she couldn’t remember anything about her own life?

Tears instantly threatened to collect in her eyes with the thought, her throat unexpectedly clenching painfully. She quickly looked to her left as she hooked a lock of raven hair behind her ear, hoping to keep Zedd from seeing how she was struggling to not fall apart right here despite how much her world was.

She had quickly discovered how perceptive the old wizard was in the short time that she had known him. He had been watching her like a hawk ever since she woke up that morning all alone at the inn. It had no doubt been Richard’s doing, leaving strict instructions with Zedd to watch over her for him.

She finally turned her attention back to the majestic city that awaited her unexpected arrival, releasing a sigh of nervous resignation. She squared her shoulders, knowing that she was going to have to get through this with or without Richard by her side.

“Don’t fret, my dear,” Zedd suddenly reassured her with a knowing smile on his wrinkled face. “It won’t be long and you will be home where you belong and I’ll be in the Wizard’s Keep looking for a way to remove that damned layered spell that Demos put on you.”

“I can’t wait,” she replied, her lack of enthusiasm more than evident.

“Everything will be just fine, Kahlan,” he told her, sounding far more confident then he was actually feeling himself. She was deteriorating more quickly than he had anticipated. “Richard and Cara will take care of Nicci and the Sisters of the Dark. I’ll work on getting your memories back while you work on planning that wedding of yours. I don’t think that my grandson will be willing to wait too much longer to make you his wife.”

“I just hope there will be a wedding,” Kahlan admitted, her gaze focused straight ahead. “I don’t remember this Sister Nicci or the Sisters of the Dark, but I can’t shake this horrible feeling of dread that has settled in the pit of my stomach since Richard left. Something terrible is going to happen, Zedd. I can feel it. It’s coming…converging on us.”

Zedd was silent for several long moments as he contemplated what she had said. He couldn’t deny the sense of uneasiness that was plaguing her. He felt it himself like heavy cloak. He swallowed hard, not knowing how to respond to her. He couldn’t lie to her, refute the fact that it wasn’t there. It practically hung in the air around them, surrounding them and enveloping them in it. Chaos and heartache followed them everywhere they went. Now, it would be no different even if they were finally in Aydindril.

“You feel it too…don’t you?” she finally asked him, casting a furtive glance at him as she interrupted his thoughts. “Something more than just the Sisters of the Dark is coming for us, something we’re not going to be able to escape.”

“Now, we don’t know that yet, Kahlan,” he tried to caution her. “It could just be that we’re both worried about Richard and Cara. We can’t let our imaginations get away from us right now.”

“I’m not letting my imagination get away from me, Zedd,” Kahlan insisted with mounting frustration. “I know what I feel in my heart and it’s telling me that something terrible is going to happen. I know you think I’m losing my mind, but…”

It was Zedd’s turn to release a sigh as Kahlan’s voice broke off, thick with emotion. He had learned a long time ago never to question the instincts of the Seeker or the Mother Confessor. “Kahlan, whatever it is that is coming; we’ll deal with it when and if it comes. Until then, we mustn’t lose our heads. We need to stay focused and alert.”

Kahlan slowly nodded her head in acknowledgment, but didn’t feel any more at ease with the situation. Instead, her worry only intensified as she noticed a large contingency of men on horseback exiting the city to come greet them. She tightened her hold on the reigns, straightening her shoulders in an effort to appear in complete control when she felt nothing of the sort.

“Now, remember what I told you,” Zedd reminded her. “Let’s keep your memory loss a secret between us just for the time being. There’s no need to alarm everyone else unless it becomes necessary.”

“I remember,” she sighed, hoping she could put forth a good enough façade in order to make everyone believe she knew what she was doing instead of falling apart like she felt she was on the inside.

She knew that Richard and Zedd hadn’t told her everything, holding something back and she had a feeling she knew what it was. Her mind was beginning to breakdown, deteriorating because of the spell that Demos had placed on her in his attempts to control her. Even if Zedd couldn’t find a way to remove the spell and restore her memories, her mind would eventually fail her.

She knew they were only avoiding telling her the truth of it because they didn’t want to worry her, but she could sense it…feel it. Her thoughts were growing more disconnected and scattered, her mind fatiguing quickly. The pain was also beginning to expand on its own without Zedd even trying to break the spell.

Kahlan greatly feared what all of this could possibly mean for the baby she carried, if it would have any effect on the child she and Richard had created together. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to their baby, not being able to deliver him or her safely into the world or to look into the beautiful face of the life that they had made.

She bit back furious tears, still angry with Richard for leaving, furious with how things just seemed to keep getting worse. When would things finally begin to get better for them? She wanted nothing more than to marry Richard, have his baby and build a life together without anymore interference from anyone.

Unfortunately, she had a very bad feeling that was never going to happen for them.

Kahlan pulled her horse to a stop before a man who appeared to be the leader of the small contingency of soldiers who was evidently waiting to formally greet them. She knew the leader had to be a high-ranking officer of some sort. He had a very commanding presence, his shoulders set and his back ramrod straight as he sat stiffly on his horse. He was very handsome with black hair and stormy blue eyes, stubble lining his jaw.

She momentarily glanced down at the beautiful white dress that she wore, remembering how Zedd had told her it was the symbol of the Mother Confessor, making her stand out far above everyone else. She didn’t know how she felt about that yet, but she didn’t have time to process it as the man spoke.

“Mother Confessor,” the man greeted her with a bow of his head. “It is a great honor to have you return home to Aydindril. You have been greatly missed.”

“Thank you,” she replied, drawing a deep breath before continuing. “It is good to be home.”

“And you must be the infamous Zeddicus Zu’l Zorrander, Wizard of the First Order,” the man greeted Zedd. “It is an honor to finally meet you.”

“Thank you, General...” Zedd began.

“General Jonathan Jancy,” the solider informed him. “I am here to escort you and the Mother Confessor into Aydindril.”

“We certainly appreciate the escort,” Zedd told him. “It has been a most difficult journey to say the least. The Seeker and Mistress Cara will hopefully be arriving in a few days. Keep a lookout for him and bring him to us immediately at the Confessor’s Palace.”

“As you wish, Wizard Zorrander,” Jancy said with a nod of his head. “It will be an honor to have the Seeker with us as well as the Mother Confessor.”

“I’m afraid there are Sisters of the Dark that are trying to capture the Mother Confessor as well as the Seeker,” Zedd informed him. “We’ll need to make sure they do not get their hands on them. They need to be protected at all cost.”

“I will see at once to doubling patrols and increasing security in and around the Confessor’s Palace as well as Aydindril,” General Jancy announced. “I’ll inform all my men to be on guard against any possible attacks against the Mother Confessor and also the Seeker once he arrives.”

“Thank you, General,” Kahlan spoke with great gratitude.

It helped to relieve a measure of her fears knowing that the Aydindril army would be able to help protect Richard. She wouldn’t be able to sleep until he was back with her. She hated not knowing what was happening to him, what he was going through at that moment. The only thing that gave her the least bit of hope was the fact that Cara was with him, watching his back and protecting him with her life if necessary.

“Please follow us to the Confessor’s Palace,” Jancy suggested. “I’m sure that you must be exhausted from your travels. Word of your success in defeating the Keeper and sealing the rifts has spread far and near. You and the Seeker deserve some much needed peace and quiet.”

Kahlan smiled with his words as she urged her horse to follow the general and his men into Aydindril. _“If it were only that simple,”_ she thought to herself with a heavy sigh as she cast one last look back over her shoulder in hopes of seeing her Seeker only to find no one there.

XXX

Richard rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, releasing a ragged breath. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kahlan no matter how hard he tried to focus on other things like taking care of his brother Demos Rahl and avoiding any more attacks by the Sisters of the Dark.

He missed her desperately, ached to see her…to feel her in his arms. It had been days since he’d last seen her and it already felt like a lifetime. He tightened the grip on the reins of the horse they had been able to get, trying to quell the loneliness that consumed his heart.

They had defeated the Sisters of the Dark and were on their way to Aydindril now, hoping to avoid anymore clashes. They would reach Kahlan and the ruling seat of the Midlands in a couple more days if they rode hard and kept their stops short.

He glanced over his shoulder at Cara who was riding the other horse they had gotten, the unconscious Sister of the Dark sitting in the saddle in front of her. Cara kept a firm arm wrapped around Sister Nicci’s waist, her agiel in hand just in case she woke and tried to escape.

Even though Richard was against killing Nicci, he still wasn’t going to take any chances when it came to getting her to Zedd in Aydindril. Hopefully, he would have some sort of idea about how to break whatever spell they had brainwashed her with.

It was obvious that they had somehow managed to turn her back to the service of the Keeper. He couldn’t in good conscious just end her life when she wasn’t in control of her actions or thoughts. She deserved to have the chance to make the decision for herself as to whether she truly wanted to join them or be against them.

Whatever she decided, they would deal with it then.

He could feel Cara’s glower practically burning a hole into the back of his head as he encouraged his horse to quicken its pace. He knew that she was most unhappy with him about his decision to bring Sister Nicci along with them, but it couldn’t be helped. 

Until he’d had a chance to talk to her and find out what had happened to her, he wasn’t about to let her die. At the same time, he couldn’t just leave her behind; taking the risk that she might gather more Sisters of the Dark to come after them again or make a run for Kahlan in Aydindril.

That was a risk he just couldn’t afford to take, not with Kahlan’s life hanging in the balance. Thinking of her, he couldn’t help but feel his heart constrict with longing, wondering if she and Zedd had made it to Aydindril yet. They should be close as long as they didn’t run into any trouble themselves.

That thought only made the dread that swam in the pit of his stomach that much stronger. What if Demos had sent more than just Nicci and her Sisters after them? What if the D’Haran army was there waiting to cut them off from getting to Aydindril?

He ground his teeth with the thought of Demos getting anywhere near Kahlan again, doing spirits knew what to her for his own sick pleasure. He was growing more than desperate to end this once and for all, eliminate the threat of his brother and finally live their lives in peace.

“So do you really plan to drag her with us all the way to Aydindril?”

Cara’s sarcastic voice cut through his thoughts, forcing him to shove them aside to dwell on later. “Yes, I do,” he simply stated without turning around to look at her.

Cara grumbled something under her breath, something that Richard couldn’t decipher, but the underlying meaning of it was more than abundantly clear. He didn’t care how upset she was with him or how much she disagreed with what he was doing. He knew in his heart that he was doing the right thing and nothing was going to change his mind.

“You know she’s not going to be very happy when she wakes up,” Cara pointed out. “It’s not going to be easy to control her without a Rada’Han.”

“I’m aware of that,” he evenly replied, his raptor gaze constantly scanning their surroundings for any more impending attacks.

“Do you have an actual plan on how to get through to her?” Cara tried again.

“No, not really,” he confessed, growing annoyed with the Mord’Sith’s barrage of questions.

“This is just great,” Cara grumbled to herself.

Richard sighed heavily. “Cara, I know you don’t agree with it, but I’m not going to change my mind. Nicci comes with us to Aydindril whether you like it or not.”

“What happened between the two of you when Nicci was bound herself to Kahlan?” Cara asked with a frown. “Did you share a special moment or something?”

It was Richard’s turn to scowl with the thought. “I would never betray Kahlan,” he ground out.

“Then what happened between the two of you that makes you so determined to save her life now?”

Richard pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginning of a headache settling behind his eyes. “No, nothing happened,” he insisted. “It’s just that I saw something in her that made me realize what a difficult life that she’d had that led her to be like this. I don’t think anyone has ever truly shown her love and compassion.”

“Richard, I know you think otherwise, but there are some people that you just can’t save,” she told him with surprising gentleness in her voice.

“What if I had thought that about you?” he softly asked her.

Cara sighed in acceptance, knowing he could have easily turned his back on her when she’d had no one. “Well, I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to keep her from killing us when she wakes. She’s the most powerful sorceress in the territories.”

“You have the ability to negate her magic and she can’t stop my sword,” Richard reminded him, hope lacing his voice.

Richard pulled his horse to a stop with the sudden sound of Sister Nicci groaning, Cara pulling her horse up beside the Seeker’s. “Well, here’s our chance to find out how this is going to go,” he said.

Nicci groaned again as she slowly lifted her head, her eyes finally fluttering open. She quickly looked around at her surroundings, acutely aware of the Mord’Sith’s tightening hold around her waist as well as the agiel that was a breath away from her throat.

She scowled darkly as she glanced at the Seeker sitting on a horse to her left, her green eyes flashing with renewed fury. “Let me go,” she sneered in a deadly low voice as she looked down to find her hands tied securely to the pommel of the saddle. She tried pulling hard on the ropes that bound her, but to no avail. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“You’re coming with us to Aydindril,” Richard calmly informed her, his hand resting warily on the hilt of his sword still resting in his scabbard. “I’m going to see if there’s something that Zedd can do to remove whatever spell they put on you to turn you back to the service of the Keeper.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be set free,” Nicci hissed, her words dripping with hatred. “Maybe I wanted my fellow Sisters of the Dark to remind me why I serve the Master.”

“I don’t think so, Nicci,” Richard stated, meeting her glare with one of his own. “I saw the real you in the cave. I know this is not what you want. You want to be able to live your own life without having to answer to anyone else or bow to their wishes. You want to be free, Nicci. I saw it in your eyes.”

Nicci internally flinched with his words that were gaining more and more heat by the moment while maintain an outraged veneer. She swallowed hard, looking away as she battled the demons inside of her, demons that she desperately wanted to be free from. She felt overwhelmingly conflicted about it all.

“I owe the Keeper my life,” she finally spat out. “He saved me.”

“Your life is your own…not anyone else’s,” Richard told her. “You owe the Keeper absolutely nothing.”

“He gave me a purpose…a sense of belonging that I had never had before,” she shot back.

“You can have that same sense of belonging with us in Aydindril,” Richard gently countered, compassion shining in his eyes. “You don’t have to be a slave to the Keeper, perpetuating his wicked schemes. You can live your own life without having to bend anyone else’s wishes.”

Nicci was uncharacteristically quiet for several long moments as if actually considering what Richard had just said to her. The dark scowl on her face remained firmly in place despite the silence, her body stiff…her jaw set in obvious anger. She seemed completely unaware of the fact that Cara still had her agiel just inches from her throat and her arm firmly wrapped around her waist.

Richard cast a furtive glance at her again, wondering if she was going to respond and more than surprised when he received no further argument from the strong-headed Sister of the Dark. He knew this wouldn’t be the end of it. He ultimately decided that he’d said his peace for now and would leave it at that at least for the moment.

“It’s starting to get dark,” he said instead, urging his horse on. “We should probably find a place to set up camp for the night.”

“You better sleep with one eye open, Seeker, because I’m not about to go with you willingly,” Nicci softly bit out. “I will make you regret this starting with you and ending with Kahlan.”

Cara reached around to wave her agiel in the Sister of the Dark’s face. “And I say otherwise,” Cara stated. “You try anything and I will end you. Behave yourself and we won’t have any problems.”

Nicci smirked despite the Mord’Sith’s threat. “The Seeker doesn’t believe in killing needlessly otherwise I wouldn’t still be alive now.”

“He may believe that, but I don’t necessarily share that belief,” Cara murmured low in Nicci’s ear.

Cara smiled to herself as she felt Nicci stiffen against her. The next couple of days were going to prove very interesting. She just hoped they made it to Aydindril in one piece.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long delay in posting. Real life, a bad case of bronchitis (twice) and a small bit of writer's block kept this update from happening sooner.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 18

Zedd’s boots scraped softly across the rough stone floor of the Wizard’s Keep, stirring up layers and years of dust and dirt that had accumulated in the long-neglected Keep. A thick coating of cobwebs hung from every corner, draped over books and shelving alike. Nothing in the Keep had escaped the ravages of time or neglect. It was heartbreaking.

He drew a weary breath as he came to a stop in the middle of the main hall, his bony hands finding his equally bony hips as he began to look around, trying to decide the best place to start. His heart felt heavy, remembering how alive and vibrant the Keep had been at one time, a place bustling with activity and excitement.

Looking at it now, it was more than difficult to believe that this was the very same Keep, abandoned and forgotten with so much wisdom and knowledge left behind. He just hoped beyond hope that it would have the answers that they so desperately needed now in order to save Kahlan.

She was progressing more quickly than he would have expected, her mind deteriorating. It would only be a matter of time now before the spell completely took over, breaking her down and destroying the woman that they all loved. He just prayed that Richard arrived in Aydindril soon before she no longer recognized him at all.

He knew it would break Richard’s heart if he arrived only to find the woman he loved more than life unable to recognize him or remember any of their recent time together in the Aku village. Nothing would hurt him more if he truly lost her.

Turning towards an enormous wall of books, the old wizard began to set his mind to the arduous task at hand – saving the Mother Confessor. 

If they lost her, the line of Confessors would end forever and he had a feeling the Seeker would be lost as well. Richard would never recover if he lost Kahlan. She was his reason for existing, for everything that he did. He wouldn’t be able to handle moving on without her by his side.

His wiry eyebrows knitted together as he began to scan through the endless selection of books that seemed to stretch on forever. There had to be something here that could help him remove that damned layer spell from Kahlan’s mind. If Demos was able to cast it, then Zedd knew he should be able to remove it.

The problem was at what cost to Kahlan?

Removing the spell could prove just as harmful as the spell itself, the consequences inconceivable. There was no telling the cost of removing it from her mind. She could end up with permanent memory loss or it could totally fracture her mind. Of course, doing nothing at all had the very same outcome.

They were caught in a no-win situation, one that was going to cost Kahlan and Richard something.

He hoped he would be able to keep the cost to a minimum.

XXX

Kahlan silently stood all alone in her suite in the Confessor’s Palace, feeling more lost than she had when all of this had first started in the People’s Palace of D’Hara with Demos Rahl. There was nothing here that looked even vaguely familiar to her and these were supposedly her very own possessions, items that she had known at one time or possibly her whole life.

She folded her arms against her abdomen, pressing them tightly against her as if trying to hold herself together or to keep herself from falling apart. She carefully glanced at her surroundings, struggling to remember something…anything that might seem the least bit recognizable to her, but it was useless.

She was standing in a stranger’s room, staring at a stranger’s life…one that wasn’t hers. 

It was disconcerting to say the least, unnerving as if she was in someone else’s quarters. She came to a stop before the enormous armoire, staring at the numerous dresses and clothes that hung there waiting for her to wear. She ran her fingers over the beautiful expensive fabric, wondering what she had been doing at the various moments of her life when she had worn them.

She found more white Confessor dresses similar to the one that she was wearing now, some far more elegant than others. She felt like such a fraud for even wearing this dress, deceitful for looking the part that she didn’t feel that she was any longer. She felt like a pretender.

With a heavy sigh, she closed the doors of the armoire before turning away. She ran her fingers along the smooth surface of a wooden desk resting against a wall, wondering when the last time was that she had sat before it. Was it before she had met Richard? After?

Her eyes moved towards the bed, wondering if and when she’d ever be able to share it with Richard. Thinking of him only brought her overwhelming loneliness and grief that nearly crippled her. She did her best to push those thoughts aside, but it was next to impossible when she had no idea what was happening to him or where he was at that moment, if he’d ever return to her.

Was he even thinking of her? Miss her at all?

Her hand moved to her abdomen to caress it once more, her thoughts drifting to the little life that was beginning to grow inside of her…the life that she and Richard had made together. It brought a faint smile to her lips, excitement to her heart that momentarily displaced the anguish.

Would they have a little boy who would look just like Richard in every way or would it be a baby girl with her dark hair? She hoped their baby had Richard’s dark brown eyes and hair, his smile. She didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl as long their baby was born healthy.

The unending feeling of dread still lingered deep inside of her resurfaced with a vengeance, telling her that something terrible was going to happen. She couldn’t understand what it meant or what was going to happen. All she knew was that it was going to be horrible…life-changing in a way that was going to be beyond disastrous.

Her stomach churned with dread with the troubling thoughts that continued to besiege her. She just wished that Richard was here with her now, holding her close and telling her that everything was going to be alright even though they both secretly knew it wasn’t.

She ran her hands over her face, trying to banish her loneliness. Zedd had told her to get some rest while he went straight to the Wizard’s Keep to find some answers to her memory problem. She just hoped that he would be able to come up with something before she lost her mind completely.

Right now, she felt as though she was living in a fog, a hazy reality that was anything but real. Everything seemed strange to her, nothing familiar and everything turned upside down and inside out. She felt like she was walking in the shoes of another woman, wearing her clothes as she tried to live her life.

She continued to walk around the suite, exploring each room as well as the various personal items that she still did not recognize. Nothing in this suite triggered any memories for her, nothing even vaguely familiar to her. It only seemed to create more confusion in her mind, a gnawing sense of anxiety about it all.

She missed Richard so much she could hardly breathe at times. He provided her with such refuge and reassurance that now that he was gone, she felt so lost and alone. She rubbed her arms as if to ward off a chill that wasn’t there as she made her way towards the large bed.

Picking up her pack that was lying at the foot of it, she began to pull out her things, her blue dress from the Aku village spilling out onto the bed. She picked it up, a soft smile of fond remembrance playing on her lips. Holding it up, she couldn’t suppress a shiver of longing that raced up her spine, remembering the brush of Richard’s calloused fingers against her skin every time he worked to remove it from her body when they made love.

She flushed inside, her eyes falling closed as she recalled the heated passion that had coursed through her with every one of his powerful thrusts inside of her, forcing her to cling to him for dear life for fear of being swept away by the storm that continued to build inside of her until exploding into fireworks of rapture.

Kahlan suddenly drew a ragged breath, arousal beginning to course through her veins just thinking about it. Opening her eyes, she folded her dress before setting it aside, reaching into her pack and pulling out her green blanket. She brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply.

Richard’s masculine scent still lingered in the soft fibers of her blanket, taking her back to the Spirit House and how it had covered the two of them after making love. She loved lying against him, covered by her blanket and falling asleep wrapped up in his arms.

Tears pricked her eyes with the treasured memories, causing her loneliness to swell. What had been a dull lonely ache now took her breath away as she sat down on the edge of the bed that was still so unfamiliar to her.

“Where are you, Richard?” she softly murmured. “I need you so much right now.”

She moved to lay down on the bed, pulling her green blanket over her and missing the feel of Richard’s muscular body pressed against hers, his arms surrounding her in a cocoon of love and safety, taking away her fear if but only for a few moments. 

She needed that now more than ever.

XXX

Demos Rahl dismounted his horse, his dark eyes bright with anticipation. He was getting that much closer to finally having Richard and Kahlan, sealing his future as the sole ruler of D’Hara. Once Richard was safely locked away in the dungeons of the People’s Palace, Kahlan would be all his to mold and shape into the Lady Rahl that a ruler like him needed to have by his side.

He would not stop until she was fully broken, obeying each of his whims and submitting to him in every way. Of course, he wanted his beautiful Confessor to still have some of that fight in her. He always enjoyed it far more when they fought back.

He made his way to the stream, kneeling down in the grass. Dipping his hands into the cool water, he cupped them together, bringing the water up to splash in his face. They had travelled hard since leaving the People’s Palace and would hopefully be nearing Aydindril in the next couple of days.

If the Sisters of the Dark hadn’t captured them by now, then they were no doubt making a run for Aydindril. It was the most obvious course of action for them to take, fleeing to the ruling seat of the Midlands for protection. Little did they know there was no place for them to hide from him, nowhere for them to go that he would not find them.

Standing to his feet, Demos slowly surveyed his surroundings, admiring the lush landscape of the Midlands. Soon, all of this would be under his control along with Westland, but he wouldn’t just stop there. The Old World would fall to him as well in time.

Nothing would stand in his way of getting everything that he wanted…including Richard.

Demos knew that soon he would be the greatest ruler from the House of Rahl, all the others who had come before him nothing but a speck in history compared to what he was about to accomplish. Once Kahlan was finally his, there was only one other thing that he still needed, one thing that would make his rule complete.

Immortality.

His eyes seemed to gleam even brighter as he lost himself in the notion of immortality. It was something that he lusted after, had been secretly working to find the key to for so long but without success. He hoped that the Wizard’s Keep in Aydindril would hold the answers that he was seeking.

He had made it a point not to divulge his ultimate goal to his brother Darken, knowing that he would probably try everything he could to stop him even though locked away in the depths of the Underworld. Darken Rahl and the Keeper still managed to make their presence known in the world of the living.

Demos didn’t trust Darken in the least especially knowing that he too was hiding some ulterior motive from him.

Appraising the massive D’Haran army that he had brought with him from the People’s Palace, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. Richard and Kahlan had no idea what was about to come for them. If they thought dealing with the Keeper had been bad just wait until he showed up at their doorstep.

He was going to storm through Aydindril, destroying everything in his wake if he had to in order to get his hands on them. He would burn the whole city to the ground, leaving nothing but ashes and memories in his wake.

If the Keeper and Darken Rahl thought that they were going to get Richard, then they had highly underestimated him.

XXX

Nicci stared straight ahead of her, refusing to make eye contact with either of her unwelcomed companions. Despite the delicious aroma that assaulted her senses, she had also refused to eat anything out of protest to her capture.

She wasn’t really hungry anyway, not with the warring emotions storming within her now, stealing her appetite. Ever since she had awoken to find herself being held prisoner by Richard and the Mord’Sith, she’d been plagued with confusion about everything - all that she had been fighting for, why she was fighting as well as for whom.

Although she remembered the change that had taken place in her after binding herself to Kahlan and spending time with Richard, she couldn’t remember the sense of freedom that she had felt with living her life for herself inside of someone else, the sense of worth that she had briefly experienced.

She could no longer remember what that had felt like, to live for herself instead of for the desires of someone else. She felt a longing to experience that again, to know what it felt like to not bow to someone else’s commands.

She cast a furtive glance at the Mord’Sith sitting directly to her left as she ate dried venison with her soup. How had she managed to break free from the tyranny and control of the Lord Rahl to roam the territories with the Seeker and Mother Confessor? She seemed to be very loyal to Richard, to his ideals and yet she appeared to be here of her own free will.

It didn’t make any sense to her. The Mord’Sith were bound to the Lord Rahl like she was bound to the Keeper of the Underworld. She had managed to break free from the Keeper’s hold on her once. Could she do it again? Did she want to?

Richard had shown her nothing but compassion and kindness since she had woken with the Mord’Sith’s agiel at her throat. She knew that she would have been dead long before now by Cara’s hand if not for Richard stopping her from taking her life.

She had been sent to kill Richard, sending him to the Keeper in the Underworld and taking Kahlan back to Lord Demos Rahl. They had been defeated, her other Sisters of the Dark killed and instead of killing her as well, Richard was bringing her with them to Aydindril in order to try to save her. It made no sense to her.

What kind of man would go to these lengths to save the very person who was trying to take his life? Who was trying to take the woman that he loved back to a sadistic animal that would no doubt torture and rape her for the rest of her life?

The Seeker was either incredibly naïve or incredibly stupid. Either way, she was more than determined to find out what made him do the things that he did, why he thought the way that he did. There was something about him that seemed to draw her to him, something about him that fascinated her. It was undeniable no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

“Nicci, you need to eat something,” Richard gently encouraged her, noticing how sullen she had become.

“I’m not hungry,” she evenly stated without looking up at him.

When she first woke, she had been furious and belligerent, causing him to be concerned about being forced into another fight with the powerful sorceress. He was not so foolish to think that she was going to be a docile prisoner, coming along willingly without putting up some sort of fight or attempting an escape.

On the other hand, he was going to do whatever it took to try to save her whether she liked it or not. He knew Cara was not onboard with the idea, but this was not the same woman that he had been with several months ago. Nicci was someone who had obviously been abused or tortured, forced into doing something that she wouldn’t have done when he had last seen her. She still couldn’t be trusted when she had bound herself to Kahlan, but at least she hadn’t been in service to the Keeper.

The Keeper had used the Sisters of the Dark to force her back into his service, using her for his wicked purposes. It made him furious to think of what they had done to her, how they had manipulated her, using dark magic to force her to do his bidding.

He would not allow the Keeper to do this to her. Even if she wasn’t going to fight for herself, he was going to fight for her. Someone had to whether she liked it or not. 

“We should be in Aydindril in a couple more days,” Richard said, leaning forward to ladle more spice soup into his bowl.

“If everything continues to go well,” Cara bit out, casting a glare at the sorceress sitting on the ground beside her. Richard may trust her, but she wasn’t about to no matter what.

“We haven’t run into any more trouble,” Richard replied with a frown. “Hopefully, it’ll stay that way.”

Nicci was listening to them but not really as they continued to talk, keeping her focus on their surroundings. It wasn’t until Cara had called her name for maybe the third time that she finally realized they were talking to her again.

“What?” Nicci snapped, glancing at Cara.

“What else does Demos Rahl have up his sleeve?” the Mord’Sith asked. “Is there anyone else coming for us?”

Nicci scowled in response, looking down at her hands still bound tightly resting in her lap. “If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“You might want to reconsider that,” Cara told her, showing the sorceress her agiel. “You’re just as much an easy mark as we are now if we’re attacked again. If they attack, they’ll try to take you out too.”

Nicci finally looked up, her green eyes dark with hate and betraying the smile that slowly curled her lips. “Why don’t you just untie me?” she asked in a pleasant voice. “Then, I’d be able to fight with you.”

“Right, like that’s going to happen,” Cara drawled with a roll of her eyes before turning her attention to the Seeker. “We picked up a sorceress with a sense of humor.”

“Cara,” Richard muttered with a sigh, turning to look at the powerful sorceress. “Nicci, if you know something that could help, please tell us. Kahlan is already in enough trouble right now. If there’s something I can do to protect her from Demos, I need to know. Please, Nicci.”

Nicci slowly looked up at him, her gaze meeting his pleading chestnut brown eyes full of such emotion it caused her breath to catch in her throat. She felt something inside of her begin to soften, a measure of her anger and hate diminishing as she lost herself in those eyes that seemed able to look into her very soul.

“Nothing that I’m aware of,” she told him, her voice losing the sarcasm it had just held. “I was only sent to kill you in order to deliver you to the Keeper and take Kahlan back to Demos to do whatever he wants with her.”

The sorceress noticed how the Seeker instantly bristled, righteous rage igniting his eyes into something dark and deadly that caused a shiver to race through her. She knew in that moment that his rage wasn’t because of her coming to kill him. No, he didn’t care about his own life. It was because she had come to take Kahlan away from him, to deliver her to Demos Rahl.

“Thank you for telling me,” he softly said, swallowing back the thick knot of emotions that had lodged in his throat. He stared into his bowl, fighting against the rage that was seeking release.

Nicci didn’t know why, but she felt compelled to tell him more. “Whatever you do, keep Kahlan away from Demos Rahl,” she suddenly said, her tone hardening once more. “I have looked him in the eye and there is nothing but malice inside of him. He is the most depraved man I have ever met and I have seen more wickedness in my life than you can begin to imagine.”

Richard’s stomach twisted with her words. He knew that not even the very worst that he could imagine Demos doing to Kahlan could not come close to the reality of what he would do to her. It made his insides tremble with the rage that consumed him. He was more than determined to end Demos once and for all before he could ever lay a finger on her.

“We won’t let him get to her, Richard,” Cara reassured him, feeling his emotions rolling off him in fierce waves.

“We don’t know what else Demos is sending after us,” Richard ground out, setting his bowl aside. He scrubbed his face with his hands, struggling to contain his frustration and anger. “You know the Sisters of the Dark won’t be the end of it. He’s not going to give up until he has Kahlan with him, doing spirits know what to her.”

“We will deal with it when it comes,” Cara told him. “Right now, let’s just focus on getting to Aydindril alive. After that, we’ll concentrate on finding Demos and stopping him.”

“Cara, we don’t even know for sure if Zedd and Kahlan safely made it to Aydindril yet,” Richard replied, standing to his feet. “That spell that Demos placed on Kahlan could be destroying her mind right now.”

“And Zedd could have gotten Kahlan to Aydindril safely,” Cara pointed out. “He could be working on removing that spell at this very moment for all we know. We’ve gotten this far…you can’t give up hope now. We’ll finish this and you’ll see Kahlan again.”

Richard could only nod his head in agreement at that moment, the thought of Kahlan awakening such an overwhelming sense of longing that it nearly buckled his knees. He missed her so much it tore at his insides like a dagger. 

“I’ll be back,” he murmured before turning and disappearing into the woods.

Cara stared at the spot that he had entered the woods, wondering just how much more he and Kahlan could truly handle. They had been through so much, far more than any two people should ever be forced to endure. It broke her heart…though she’d never verbally admit it.

Richard walked several feet into the woods before abruptly dropping to his knees right there in the mossy dirt. His chin fell to his chest as he drew a ragged breath, his hands curled into fists of pure fury. He squeezed his eyes closed, struggling to regain control of his emotions again.

Two more days and he would be able to see Kahlan– be able to hold her in his arms, to kiss her, and never let her go every again. It was the only thing that was keeping him going now. She was his whole world and nothing would ever begin to replace her if he ever lost her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 19

Zedd rubbed his tired eyes with his thumb and forefinger as he attempted to stifle a yawn that refused to be halted. He had worked late into the night trying to find something that he could use to remove the layered memory spell that Demos had placed on Kahlan. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough yet to attempt to remove it again.

He had spent the entire night at the Keep, eventually falling asleep there. He had woken this morning to find the sun already up and had been for quite some time. He cursed under his breath yet again, still more than angry with himself for falling asleep like he had.

He had promised to come back and check on Kahlan last night. He had wanted to eat dinner with her and make sure she was settling in alright, but he’d lost track of time. She was probably feeling more than a little unnerved by everything, being in a strange place around people she didn’t know especially with Richard still gone.

The only person that she knew or recognized was Richard and that was minimal at best. It was, however, a profound testament to just how strong their love for each other truly was. Not even Demos’s spell could break something like that.

He just hoped that Richard got to Aydindril before Kahlan didn’t recognize him at all. Once that spell finally destroyed her mind, he feared that not even their love for one another could save her.

Reaching the Confessor’s personal quarters, Zedd knocked on the door, hoping that she was alright. He had been worried about her ever since Richard left and his concern had only been growing since, knowing that time was quickly running out for her.

He waited for several moments with no response causing his stomach to drop into his boots. He knocked again, harder this time. “Kahlan, my dear,” he called to her through the door. “It’s Zedd. Are you alright?”

Receiving no response again, Zedd tried the door to find it unlocked. He opened it cautiously, peering inside and hearing nothing…nothing at all. “Kahlan?”

He carefully made his way to her bedchambers, more than relieved to find her still asleep in bed. At the same time, he was worried about why she hadn’t woken up yet. He quickly knelt down beside her bed, his weathered hand coming to rest gently on her forehead.

She was curled up on her side, clutching her green blanket tightly against her chest as if afraid she’d lose it. She was mumbling Richard’s name in her sleep, her expression filled with sorrow. He feared the spell that he had placed to block the nightmares was beginning to break down now as well.

“Kahlan,” he sternly called her name as he moved to sit down on the edge of the bed, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. “Kahlan, wake up.”

She groaned softly as if even opening her eyes was a monumental task, squeezing them even tighter closed. “Richard…” she murmured, her brow furrowing. “Richard…”

“Kahlan, it’s Zedd,” he tried again, shaking her gently. “You need to wake up.”

“I don’t want to,” she muttered. “I…I want Richard.” 

“Richard is coming soon, but you need to wake up if you want to see him.”

She finally forced her eyelids open. She stared at Zedd for a long moment, a look of confusion on her face. She slowly looked around at her surroundings, still clutching her blanket tightly. It was as if she was trying to make sense of where she was.

“Kahlan, what is it?” Zedd asked her.

“Who are you?” she whispered, her forehead creased with confusion as she sat up, scooting back away from him.

Zedd watched with mounting worry as she pulled her knees up to her chest, staring at him with fear and apprehension in her blue eyes. “Kahlan, it’s me…Zedd.”

“Zedd?” she repeated, tilting her head as if considering his name for a moment. “Do I know you?”

“I’m Richard’s grandfather…Zedd,” he explained. “I brought you here to Aydindril to remove the spell that’s blocking your memories. I’m trying to help you so you can remember your life again.”

She seemed to relax a little with his explanation, but still appeared somewhat wary of him. “Where’s Richard? I want to see him.”

“He’s coming to Aydindril to see you,” Zedd told her. “He should be here in the next couple of days or so. He asked me to take care of you until he arrives.”

Tears instantly flooded her blue eyes as she stared at him. She was rapidly losing control. “I miss him so much,” she murmured with a shuddering gasp, pressing her forehead to her drawn up knees as the tears broke free.

Zedd reached out to her, placing a comforting hand on her head as she cried. “I know, my dear,” he replied. “This has been so difficult for the both of you, but I’ve found a couple of books in the Wizard’s Keep that could prove helpful in removing the spell. I just need you to be strong and hold on for me for just a little while longer.”

Kahlan finally lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. “I’m so tired,” she softly admitted. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Nothing makes any sense. I just want Richard here with me.”

“Not being here with you now was very difficult for him, Kahlan,” Zedd told her, his heart breaking for what she was going through. “Nothing hurts him more than being away from you, but he did it in order to protect you.”

“I love him,” she whispered, fighting to contain her tears.

“I know you do, dear one, and I know how desperately he loves you too,” he replied with an affectionate smile. “Can you tell me what the last thing is that you remember before I woke you up just now?”

Kahlan looked around the room again, trying to remember what she had been doing, but it was just a hazy fog of jumbled images in her mind that made no sense to her. Her eyes fell upon her pack lying at the foot of her bed, her blue dress lying next to it. 

“I think I was unpacking my things,” she said, a distant look in her eyes. “I pulled out my blanket and smelled it. It reminded me of Richard. I laid down holding my blanket and then you woke me up.”

“So you’ve been asleep since yesterday afternoon?” he asked with a concerned frown.

“I…I don’t know,” she responded with a shake of her head. “I guess so.”

Zedd knew this wasn’t a good sign. He was going to have to get back to the Keep right away to see what he else could find to stop this. “You must be famished,” he finally said, forcing a reassuring smile to his lips. “I’ll have the kitchen send you up a tray of food for you right away.”

“No, thank you,” she politely declined. “I’m not feeling very well.”

“Let me take a look and see if I can help,” Zedd offered. 

She moved towards him again, allowing him to use his magic to see what the problem was. Zedd paused as he ran his hand over her abdomen, more than startled by what he discovered. Kahlan immediately noticed his stunned expression causing her own fear to suddenly escalate. 

“What is it?” she whispered.

“You’re with child,” he informed her, taken aback by the revelation. “You and Richard are going to have a baby.”

“I am?” she muttered, stunned by the news.

“You didn’t recognize the new life growing inside of you?” As soon as he asked the question, he immediately regretted it. She might have known before they had arrived in Aydindril, but had since forgotten.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes once more. “I…I’m sorry. What did you say your name was?”

“Zedd,” he reminded her again. “I’m still going to have some food sent up here for you. You need to try to eat something especially now that you’re with child. You need to keep up your strength especially now that you have my great grandchild growing inside of you. I need you to take good care of yourself now more than ever.”

She smiled sadly at him, her hand falling to abdomen. “I wish Richard was here so I could tell him. I think that he’ll be excited.”

“My dear, that boy will be over the moon with joy when he finds out the two of you are going to have a baby,” he reassured her as he stood to his feet. “There’s nothing he wants more than to marry you and raise a family together.”

“I hope so,” she murmured as she averted her eyes, trying to hide her uncertainty.

“I’m going to go to the Keep and follow up on some things that I found,” Zedd told her.

“Can I go with you?” she asked, getting to her feet. “Maybe there’s something I can do to help.”

“I want you to stay here and rest,” he informed her. “I’ll be back to see how you’re doing later. In the meantime, I’m going to have my friend Esther stop in to check on you. She manages the kitchen here in the Confessor’s Palace. If you need anything at all, you ask for you, alright?”

Kahlan nodded her head, feeling unnerved by the urgency and fear that she sensed from him. Something had upset him, but she didn’t know what it could be. Was he angered by the fact that she was carrying Richard’s baby?

Kahlan hooked a lock of hair behind her ear as she watched the elderly man pause at the door. “Are you angry with me? Are you upset that I’m carrying Richard’s baby?”

Zedd’s knitted brow relaxed, his eyes softening with her questions. He quickly closed the distance between them, taking her hands in his. “There is absolutely nothing that could make me any happier than knowing that you and Richard are going to have a baby,” he assured. “My biggest concern right now is trying to restore your memories.”

“I wish there was something I could do help you,” she said with a sigh.

“You can help me most by staying right here in your quarters and resting,” he told her. “Try to see if there’s anything in here that might bring back some memories for you.”

Kahlan’s blue eyes narrowed suspiciously as she studied him, the corners of her lips curling slightly. “You wouldn’t be trying to keep me out of your way, would you?”

Zedd chuckled softly in response, leaning in and kissing her gently on the forehead. “No, my dear,” he said with a shake of his head. “I promised Richard that I would look after you and I intend to keep that promise until there is no more breath in this old body.”

“Thank you for helping me,” she softly said. “I wish I could remember what you mean to me. I’m sure you’re a very important part of my life.”

“You’re a very important part of mine as well as many others who care about you, but no one more than Richard,” he said. “He’ll be here before you know it so I better go back to the Keep and see what I can find to help the two of you.”

“I hope Richard is alright,” she absentmindedly muttered. “Is he alone?”

“No, Cara is with him,” he informed her. “She’ll do everything in her power to protect him.”

“Who is Cara?” she demanded to know, her eyes flashing with sudden jealously.

Zedd was taken aback by Kahlan’s obvious anger as well as concerned that she no longer remembered where Richard was or who was with him now. “She is a close friend to all of us. Cara is not in love with Richard like you are so you have nothing to fear from her. She’d give her life to protect him.”

Kahlan frowned, but seemed to accept his word. “I think I’m going to go get cleaned up while you’re gone. I’ll look for a nice dress to wear in case Richard comes today.”

“That’s a good idea,” the old wizard agreed.

Leaving Kahlan’s quarters, Zedd was more than fearful by the rapid changes in not only her memory but also her emotions. While more than excited about Kahlan being with child, he had to admit he was quite concerned by this unexpected development. He hoped that it didn’t create problems later when he attempted to remove the layered spell again.

He had no idea what kind of an effect Demos’s dark magic would have on the baby growing within her or how his own magic might react with it. There was definitely going to be a risk not only to Kahlan but also to the baby as well.

He needed Richard here now more than ever before it was too late to save Kahlan and the baby from what he feared was about to happen.

XXX

Richard pulled his horse off to the side of the dirt trail they were traveling on in hopes of getting to Aydindril sooner than later. They had travelled west for a couple of days after splitting up in hopes of drawing the Sisters of the Dark after them instead of Kahlan and Zedd. 

They had since started to make their journey north towards the Confessor’s Palace. To make sure they weren’t being followed by anymore Sisters of the Dark, he and Cara had decided to cut east instead of taking a direct route straight to Aydindril. Now, Richard was beginning to question that logic. It felt like it was taking him forever to get back to Kahlan.

He couldn’t help wondering how she was doing now, if she was still angry with him for leaving her like he had or if the spell had started to take over her mind yet. He just hoped that Zedd got her safely to Aydindril and that his grandfather could find the answers that they needed to save her.

He needed to get to Aydindril and to Kahlan as soon as possible. He couldn’t shake the overwhelming sense of alarm that refused to leave him. He had no idea what it meant or if it was just related to his worry over what was happening to Kahlan. Either way, he had a horrible feeling of dread that something was about to happen.

“What is it?” Cara asked as she pulled her horse to a stop next to him, Sister Nicci sitting in front of her.

“I can’t help this feeling that something bad is going to happen,” he admitted.

“More than the trouble we’ve already had?” Cara asked with a scowl.

“Yes, but I don’t know what it is,” he replied with a shake of his head.

“Do you want me to scout up ahead a little, see if there is anyone coming after us again?” Cara offered.

Richard shook his head in frustration as he released a ragged breath. “I don’t know if that’s what is nagging at me or if it’s just because I’m so afraid for Kahlan, but something is wrong.”

“Are you always so paranoid?” Nicci asked with a frown.

“I’m not being paranoid,” Richard insisted, growing annoyed. “I’m just saying that something isn’t right.”

“I’m going to go scout around a little bit,” Cara decided. “Stay here and don’t do anything I’ll have to rescue you from later.”

Richard couldn’t suppress the crooked smile that formed on his lips despite the dark emotions storming through him now. “I’ll behave,” he promised her.

Cara rolled her eyes as she clicked at her horse to move forward. It was more than a little awkward having to maneuver with the Sister of the Dark practically in her lap and her agiel in her hand, but it was obviously a necessity to the Seeker. 

“You care about him,” Nicci commented.

“He’s the Seeker,” Cara said with a frown. “I’m his protector.”

“Still you care about him though you don’t like to show it,” she pressed.

Cara refused to answer her, keeping her focus on their surroundings in case of an impending attack. She didn’t like to think about her emotions or what she felt for the people that she admittedly cared about. She wasn’t one to show her feelings let alone talk about them especially with someone she considered to be the enemy.

“How did you come to join Richard’s little ragtag group of do-gooders?” Nicci tried again.

Cara stiffened as memories of that day roared to the surface of her mind. “The Mord’Sith turned on me,” she replied after several long moments of silence. “They beat me and left me for dead. I had nowhere to go, but Richard gave me a second chance. Kahlan and Zedd were understandably reluctant to accept my presence, but Richard wouldn’t listen to their concerns. He stood by me until I gained their trust.”

Nicci considered her response for a while as they continued to ride through the woods, looking for signs of trouble. “Richard is a remarkable man,” she finally said. It was more of a statement of fact than an actual question.

“You have no idea,” Cara replied, a frown on her face. She didn’t know what Nicci was up to with all of her questions and interest in Richard, but she didn’t like it. “He believes that everyone has the capacity to change for the better if given the chance. It’s one of his greatest qualities and one of his worst. It’s going to get him killed someday.”

“By someone like me?”

“Yes, but you won’t,” Cara snapped. “I will not allow you to hurt him.”

“He is the first person to show me any sort of kindness,” Nicci confessed. “I believe it would be a grave mistake to take his life.”

Cara snorted with her words. “You expect me to believe that?” she asked. “You’ve been trying to kill us for months. Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Richard has helped me to see that I can have a better life as well,” Nicci admitted. “He showed me compassion when he didn’t have to, saved my life when he had every right to take it. He is a very rare person.”

“Like I said before you have no idea how remarkable he truly is,” Cara stated, wondering how truthful the sorceress’s admission actually was. For some reason, she found herself wanting to believe the dangerous Sister of the Dark, but she couldn’t quite trust her…at least not yet. She wanted to know more. “What did the Sisters of the Dark do to you?”

“They managed to capture me,” Nicci replied, loathing lacing her voice. “They performed a ritual using dark magic. It was very painful. It felt like they were ripping my very soul out of my body. They bent my will back into the service of the Keeper.”

“What changed?” Cara asked, still more than skeptical. “Did you somehow manage to break free from the magic on your own?”

“I think it was Richard,” she softly said. “His refusal to take my life…his compassion…forced me to see what I had believed before the Sisters had captured. My life is my own and no one else’s.”

Cara seemed to accept this answer, her scowl returning as she spotted something in the distance. She turned her horse to the right, coming to a stop at the edge of the forest. What she saw in the distance made her blood suddenly run cold.

Nicci immediately sensed her tension. “What is that?”

“It’s the D’Haran army or at least a very large contingency,” she muttered as she focused on the long train of red and black moving in the distance.

“Do you think Demos Rahl is with them?”

Cara tightened her hold on her agiel as her mind raced with the consequences of what she was witnessing. “I have no idea, but this can’t be good. It looks like they’re heading straight for Aydindril. It’s definitely not a peaceful diplomatic journey they’re making. Did Demos ever say anything about attacking Aydindril?”

“Not in the short time that I was there,” Nicci responded. “Besides, I was more interested at that moment in finding Richard and Kahlan than anything that had to do with Demos Rahl. I had another mission I was supposed to complete, one that Demos didn’t even know about.”

“What was that?”

“I was supposed to capture Richard and perform a ritual that would allow Darken Rahl to come back to life in Richard’s body, trapping Richard in the Underworld forever.”

Cara’s eyes darkened with fury upon learning this. “So he’s still trying to worm his way out of the Underworld,” she muttered under her breath, more to herself than the sorceress. “We need to get back to Richard right away. We’re going to have to make a run for Aydindril before the D’Haran army shows up.”

Turning her horse, Cara urged her mare onward, knowing now that Richard’s sense of foreboding held far more merit than she had given him credit for. Returning to the spot where she had left him, her stomach churned when she found his horse, but no Seeker.

“Richard,” Cara called his name, her worry growing until he finally came through the trees.

“What?” he asked.

“Where did you go?” she asked, dismounting from her horse and attaching her agiel to her hip once more.

“I scouted over this direction,” he explained. “What’s wrong? You look as if you’ve seen the Keeper himself.”

“We just might sooner than you think,” she retorted. “The D’Haran army is on its way to Aydindril. We spotted them in the distance to the east.”

“Did you know Demos was going to do this?” Richard demanded to know as he glared at Nicci.

“I knew nothing about what Demos was planning,” Nicci insisted. “I was only at the People’s Palace for a very short time before leaving to track down you and Kahlan; I wouldn’t be surprised if Demos has his own agenda that he’s keeping to himself. His brother Darken has his own schemes that Demos has no clue about.”

“Like what?” Richard questioned her, his hands on his hips.

“Like killing you so that Darken Rahl can come back in your body, leaving you trapped in the Underworld in his place,” Cara interjected.

Richard immediately felt ill to the core with the revelation. The idea of Darken Rahl impersonating the Seeker caused his insides to twist into knots. He would no doubt try to get to Kahlan, doing spirits knew what to her as well.

The ramifications of Darken Rahl coming back to the world of the living in his body were too dreadful to think about. 

“We need to get to Aydindril right away and warn them of what’s coming,” Richard stated as he quickly mounted his horse.

“You don’t think Demos is leading the D’Haran army, do you?” Cara asked as she urged her horse to follow Richard.

“I would be more surprised if he wasn’t with them,” he ground out. “He wants Kahlan too badly now not to come after her himself. He’s not going to wait any longer for the Sisters of the Dark to deliver her to him. He’s coming for what he wants and he’s going to take her himself.”

“We’ll have to travel through the night in order to get to Aydindril by tomorrow night,” Cara pointed out. “It’s going to be dangerous trying to maneuver the horses through the dark.”

“It’s a chance we’re going to have to take,” Richard evenly stated.

He had a death-grip on the reins of his horse while fear had a grip on his heart. He’d had a horrible feeling that something dreadful was going to happen and he had been right about it. He just hadn’t anticipated it being this.

They were going to be in for the fight of their lives once more and Kahlan was at the very center of it once more.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 20

Richard swallowed back the thick knot of emotions that had unexpectedly lodged in his throat as they came over the ridge, pulling his horse to a stop. Aydindril. It was still a small dark smudge on the horizon, but it was the most welcoming sight in the world to him in that moment.

It was his oasis in the desolate days since leaving his Confessor behind, Kahlan his cool stream of water that always sustained him. Soon, she would be in his arms and he in her bed. He didn’t think he could hardly wait another moment to see her, to kiss her.

A fierce wave of trepidation suddenly washed over him, worried about how she would be when he finally reached her. Would she even talk to him after abandoning her like he had or would she even know who he was?

As much as he wanted to help Nicci by freeing her from what her Sisters of the Dark had done to her, he had to admit there was also a part of him that was selfish too, hoping that she might be able to help Zedd free Kahlan of Demos’s spell once and for all. If they were unable to help her, he had no idea where else he could possibly turn.

Richard glanced at Nicci riding with Cara, deciding it was worth a shot. “Nicci, what do you know about multi-layered spells?”

Cara shot him a disapproving glare, her frown evidence enough of her disagreement with the trust he was showing the dangerous Sister of the Dark, but he wanted to know just how much she knew about them. Any little morsel of information could prove valuable in saving Kahlan.

“They are very dangerous to the person affected,” Nicci thoughtfully replied. “They are also exceedingly difficult to break because of the dark occult magic involved to create them. Why do you ask? Who has been spelled with one?”

“Kahlan,” he softly admitted, staring straight ahead of him as he struggled to come to terms with what Nicci had just told him.

“Multi-layered spells are not impossible to remove, but they are very complicated to deal with. They’re highly volatile and can be unstable. They can begin to breakdown and cause unpredictable changes or reactions.”

“Like what?” he questioned her, his stomach beginning to churn again with dread. 

Nicci pursed her lips as she thought for a moment, tucking a lock of blond hair behind her ear before responding. “I once saw a layered spell that had been placed on a man,” she told him, her tone growing almost regretful. “It caused his mind to break down. He went crazy and ended up taking his own life.”

Richard felt as though he’d just been punched in the gut, the very air sucked from his lungs. He knew there was a very real possibility that the spell could completely destroy her mind, but he had failed to consider the fact that it might cause her to hurt herself or take her own life.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, but I will do what I can to save Kahlan from the spell,” Nicci offered, hopeful that he could learn to trust her.

“How do we know you won’t just finish her off or add to the spell?” Cara demanded to know.

“You don’t,” Nicci admitted, “but I promise I’m not going to try to escape or hurt either you or Kahlan. Richard has shown me compassion and spared my life when he had every right to take it. For that, I’ll be eternally grateful.”

The Seeker stared in disbelief, dark brown eyes meeting green eyes filled with regret. Gone was the darkness that he had seen in them before, the malice that he had sensed within her. “What about the spell the Keeper had your Sisters place on you?”

“You broke it with your compassion and kindness,” she revealed, averting her eyes, no longer able to meet the intensity of his intense gaze. It made her feel things that she knew in her heart that she shouldn’t. “The hatred I felt before is gone now.”

“I want to believe you, but I can’t take that chance just yet,” Richard responded, his hand falling to the hilt of his sword. He felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle. Something was wrong.

Cara immediately noticed his stiffening posture as his hand reached for his sword, Nicci noticing the change in the Seeker as well. She carefully began to look around her, trying to discover what had alerted him that there was trouble. She wished she was free from the ropes that kept her bound so she could help if there was a fight.

“What is it?” Cara whispered.

“Someone is out there,” Richard whispered back.

“Untie me so I can help if there’s an attack,” Nicci softly said.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Cara snapped as she tightened her grip on her agiel.

“Halt there!”

Richard turned his horse around to find a dozen D’Haran soldiers approaching from woods behind them, swords drawn and ready for a fight. He swiftly dismounted his horse before drawing his sword as Cara pulled Nicci off of the horse with her. She quickly moved to stand in front of the sorceress with her agiels drawn.

“Untie me so I can help,” Nicci yelled.

“Just stay back and let us handle this,” Cara hissed.

Richard charged towards the commanding officer, furious to be slowed down when he was this close to Kahlan. He wanted to stop the D’Harans from reaching Aydindril and attacking the city, but at the same time he needed answers as to what Demos was truly up to and if he was leading the army.

Swinging his sword, he blocked the soldier’s blade at the very last second, narrowly avoiding having his head removed from his shoulders. With a grunt of anger, he thrust his sword only to find himself engaged in a sword fight with a highly trained soldier who matched his every move with one of his own.

Cara slammed her agiel into one soldier’s side, causing him to cry out as he dropped his sword. With her other agiel, she went in for the kill, ending the threat before moving on to the next one. She gritted her teeth as the next D’Haran soldier’s blade sliced through her arm, but she refused to lose her grip on her agiel. She needed to help Richard end this attack. She was all that he had right now.

Glancing to her right, she caught a glimpse of five soldiers bearing down on him. She needed to get to him to help him but she was surrounded herself at that moment. She could feel warm blood from her wound oozing down her arm, but she ignored it as she threw herself into the fight.

Though exhausted from lack of sleep and long travel, Richard fought with a renewed vengeance, furious with himself for not anticipating this attack. He should’ve been more focused on what was crouching in the shadows around him than thinking about Aydindril and Kahlan who was still a ways off in the distance. He should have known that the army would send out patrolling parties to scout the area before descending on Aydindril itself.

He thrust his weapon, the blade burying deep in a soldier’s chest before yanking it free. He spun on his heel as he swung his sword to block an attack coming at him from behind; one that he instinctively knew was there.

“Cara!” he yelled over the roar of battle. “Release Nicci!”

“Are you crazy?” Cara shouted.

“We need her help,” he told her with a grunt, his blade clashing with another. “Just do it!”

Cara growled low in her throat as she worked her way backwards. Attaching one agiel to her waist, she leaned down, grabbing a sword lying forgotten on the ground. She lifted her leg, kicking a soldier square in the chest to buy herself some time before quickly turning and using the sword to cut Nicci’s ropes off. She sincerely hoped that this didn’t turn out to be a huge mistake.

“Betray us and I will kill you whether Richard agrees with it or not,” Cara threatened her before snatching up her agiel again.

“You won’t have to worry about me,” Nicci promised her as she leapt to her feet to join the fray.

A powerful concussion rocked the area, knocking some off their feet and startling the rest. Richard had to compensate to keep his balance and taking full advantage of the unexpected magical blast. His blade swiftly tore through two soldiers in rapid succession before moving on to the third one.

He just prayed that his faith in the powerful Sister of the Dark wasn’t misplaced or they were going to find themselves in even worse trouble than they were already in.

Cara swiftly ducked, avoiding a D’Haran who had recovered quicker than his comrades, his blade whistling past her head. As she was about to straighten up, a stream of fire suddenly shot past her, taking out the soldier. She glanced back at Sister Nicci who had already turned her attention to the rest of the D’Harans, a vengeful expression on her face. She truly appeared every bit of Death’s Mistress in that moment of life and death.

Cara could feel the searing heat as Nicci shot another blast of magical fire at a couple more soldiers who were attacking Richard. It seemed like an endless wave of D’Harans were coming at them from all around them, but Nicci had definitely helped to turn the tide in their favor.

“I want one kept alive!” Richard yelled to Cara and Nicci.

Nicci quickly threw her hands out towards one of the injured soldiers lying on the ground, keeping him pinned in place while Richard and Cara finished off the rest. Breathing hard, the Seeker wiped his blade on a D’Haran uniform before finally sheathing his sword.

Cara kept her agiels in hand as she approached their prisoner who was struggling to get up without success, her face revealing her anger. “What are you doing here?”

“You really think I’m going to tell you anything?” the soldier spat out with disdain dripping from every word.

“I already know you’re going to attack Aydindril,” Richard said as he came to stand beside Cara. “Is Demos Rahl here with you?”

The soldier glared up at them with a smug expression, refusing to respond. Cara crouched down over him, lifting her agiels to his face and giving him a smile of her own. “One agiel can create mind-searing pain,” the Mord’Sith informed him. “You can’t even begin to imagine the horrific pain that two agiels would create. Now talk.”

The soldier momentarily blanched with the Mord’Sith’s threat when Nicci added her own warning. “And I am the most powerful sorceress alive so I suggest you start talking before I begin to slowly peel your flesh back from your bones, one limb at a time.”

“Lord Demos Rahl is leading the army to Aydindril to attack it,” the soldier finally confessed. “He wants you and the Mother Confessor. Then, he’s going to burn Aydindril to the ground and take over the Midlands.”

“What else is he planning?” Richard demanded, folding his arms against his chest.

“That’s all I know,” the soldier insisted as Cara moved one of her agiels within an inch of his throat. “I swear it. Lord Rahl doesn’t tell us his plans. I only knew what I told you because I overheard him talking to General Stone.”

Richard briefly nodded his head at Cara who swiftly knocked the soldier unconscious. Nicci lowered her arms, thankful to be free from the ropes that had bound her. She hoped that she had been able to prove her loyalty. Cara was still keeping a wary eye on her, but she could hardly blame the Mord’Sith. She would have to work to gain their trust.

Richard released a ragged breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We need to get Aydindril as soon as possible before Demos gets there with his army,” he stated, more to himself than the other two. “We’ll have to warn Aydindril so they can get the army prepared.”

“The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get there,” Cara replied.

The Seeker glanced at Sister Nicci as if considering something, his forehead creased. “Thank you for helping us,” he said. “You saved our lives.”

“I meant what I said before,” she solemnly replied. “You showed me that there is still good in some people. You’ve given me hope. I don’t want to go back to the life that I had before. I want to make a new life, one that I can proud of.”

Richard slowly nodded his head in response. “Alright then,” he decided. “You’re proven yourself so far, but I promise you this—you break the trust I have placed in you and I will not hesitate to take you out especially if you go after Kahlan.”

“I understand,” Nicci murmured.

“Are you coming?” Cara snapped without looking back over her shoulder.

Nicci smiled to herself, more than relieved as Richard and Cara made their way to their horses, neither of them bothering to tie her up again. Hopefully, she could gain even more of their trust, but she knew it was going to take time and a lot of work. She just hoped that she would be able to help Kahlan or Richard might end up blaming her for what was about to happen to the Mother Confessor if they couldn’t remove the spell in time.

XXX

Kahlan couldn’t believe the magnificence of her surroundings as she made her way through the Confessor’s Palace with General Jonathan Jancy at her side. He had taken her around the entire palace, showing her various parts of the famous palace in hopes of triggering some memories for her, but it was all still so unfamiliar to her.

Zedd had confided in the General about Kahlan’s memory loss and the spell that had been placed on her. He had needed someone to keep a close on her while he searched the Wizard’s Keep for a way to remove the spell. Jancy had sworn to keep it a secret, knowing that it could possibly stir up more trouble if it was discovered that something was wrong with the Mother Confessor.

Glancing at his companion to his left, Jancy had to admit that he hadn’t minded his current mission in the least. Kahlan had been pleasant company and a most welcome change to his usual daily duties. Even though she didn’t have her memories, her charming personality and kindness of heart showed through as bright as the sun itself.

He could easily see himself falling for her if it wasn’t for her powerful magic that could steal his mind and soul. His heart sunk with the reminder. It seemed that when he met a smart beautiful woman, there was always something that stood in the way of pursuing her.

Kahlan sighed heavily as they turned a corner, a frown on her face. “I’m sorry to ask you this again, but what did you say your name was?”

Jancy chuckled softly, giving her a reassuring smile. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he told her. “It’s Jonathan Jancy, but you can call me Jon if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Jon,” she replied, a soft rosy blush suffusing her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time remembering everything. I feel so bad about it.”

“Don’t worry about it, Kahlan,” he reassured her. “I promise you we didn’t know each other prior to your arrival in Aydindril the other day. I mean I knew who you were because I grew up in Aydindril, but we have never formally met before.”

“Alright,” she relented, hooking a raven lock behind her ear. “If you say so, but I still feel bad about not being able to remember your name.”

“I do say so,” Jancy said. “I’m sure it’s getting late by now. I’m sure you’d like to return to your room and rest.”

“Actually, I’m more hungry than tired right now,” she admitted.

Jancy glanced out of a nearby window, suddenly noticing that the sun had already set. “I’m so sorry. I was having such an enjoyable afternoon with you that I totally lost track of time. Why don’t we stop by the kitchen and pick up some dinner and I’ll escort you back to your quarters?”

Kahlan smiled broadly with the suggestion. “I’d love that,” she said. “You have been so kind to me. I’m sure you have much better things to do than to keep me company.”

“It’s been a pleasure to show the Mother Confessor around,” he replied with a grin. “Isn’t the Seeker supposed to be arriving any day now?”

Kahlan’s brow furrowed as she thought about it for a moment before finally responding. “The Seeker?”

“Yes,” Jancy nodded. “Richard Cypher, the Seeker of Truth. Zedd told me that he and the Mord’Sith Cara would be arriving soon.”

“Richard,” she murmured the name as if testing its familiarity, the way it rolled off her tongue. Something deep inside of her told her that she knew him, that he meant something to her. “I know him.”

“I’m sure you’ll remember him when he arrives,” he told her.

Kahlan came to a stop, tears instantly pooling in her eyes. “I can’t remember him, but I know he’s someone very important to me.”

Jancy took her hands in his, his eyes softening with sympathy. “It’ll be alright, Kahlan,” he promised her. “Zedd is looking for a way to remove the spell and then you’ll be able to remember everything.”

At that moment, Richard came around the corner with Cara and Nicci following close behind him, the Seeker coming to an abrupt stop at the sight of Kahlan standing at the end of the corridor. His breath caught in his chest at the sight of her, his heart pounding harder. Jealous anger immediately seeped into his bones as he noticed a man standing there holding Kahlan’s hand, his other hand coming to rest on her shoulder. His anger, though, quickly gave way to worry as he noticed Kahlan’s tears.

“Kahlan!” he called to her, his brown eyes lit with concern as he swiftly made his way to her.

Kahlan and Jancy both looked up at the sound of her name. She quickly brushed the tears from her face as she watched the trio approach them. The two women were unknown to her, but the man looked very familiar to her for some reason, his intense dark brown eyes stirring something deep inside of her.

Jancy’s attention was immediately captured by the statuesque blond dressed in black. There was great intelligence in her eyes, grace in her every movement. There was something about her that intrigued him, fascinating him. He’d never seen another woman like her before.

“Kahlan, are you alright?” Richard asked as he came to a stop beside her.

“I’m fine,” she softly said, apprehension lacing her voice. “Who are you?”

Richard was stunned by her question, his mind reeling with sudden fear about what this could possibly mean. “It’s me…Richard.”

“Richard?” she whispered, something inside of her awakening and allowing him to slip through the hazy fog of confusion. “You’re here.”

“We just arrived in Aydindril,” he replied. “I came straight to the Confessor’s Palace to find you. I’ve been so worried about you.”

Kahlan suddenly threw herself into Richard’s arms, burying her face in the crook of his neck. “I thought you were never coming back to me,” she confessed as she clung to him, fighting back the sudden well of fresh tears that fought for release.

Richard wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and savoring the feel of her pressed against him once again. “I’ll always come back to you, Kahlan.”

She pulled back to look at him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I’m just so relieved to see you.”

Richard studied her for a moment, immediately noticing the changes in her. She was timid and unsure of herself, so unlike the Kahlan that he had fallen in love with. She seemed so lost and for her to not remember him at first was enough to make his heart clench with fear.

He looked to the tall man standing behind Kahlan, his concern for the Mother Confessor more than evident. Jancy noticed his curiosity and quickly extended a hand to the Seeker. “I’m Jonathan Jancy, General of the Aydindril army. It’s a great pleasure to meet the famous Seeker.”

Richard shook his hand, relaxing minutely. “Thank you,” he replied, still on edge. “I just wish that our meeting was under better circumstances.”

Jancy nodded his head in understanding. “Zedd is in the Wizard’s Keep searching for a way to help Kahlan. He asked me to show her around the Confessor’s Palace in hopes that it might draw out some memories for her. Unfortunately, I’m afraid I haven’t been very successful in helping her.”

“I appreciate your efforts,” Richard said, relaxing a little more. “I’m afraid I come with some grave news. Lord Demos Rahl and his D’Haran army are bearing down on Aydindril as we speak. They plan to attack the city and burn it to the ground, but not before getting his hands on Kahlan.”

Jancy instantly grew rigid in his stance, his expression determined. “I’ll take care of locking down the city and preparing the army for possible attack. I’ll also send someone to escort you to some rooms adjacent to the Mother Confessor’s suite so you can get cleaned up and settled in. I’m sure you’re all tired from your travels.”

“Thank you; we would appreciate that,” Richard grimly replied with a nod. “Did Zedd say when he would return from the Wizard’s Keep?”

“No, only that it would be some time tonight,” Jancy informed him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should see that the army is ready.”

“Thank you for keeping me company today, Jon,” Kahlan told him.

“It was my pleasure, Kahlan,” he responded with a warm smile, his gaze flickering once again to the beautiful blond dressed in black, nodding his head. “Ladies.”

Nicci bowed her head in response, watching him as he left and noticing how handsome the general was. She tried to push those thoughts from the mind, knowing that they had bigger concerns that needed to be dealt with at that moment.

Richard quickly turned his attention to Kahlan, his hand finding hers. “How are you?” he softly asked, more than afraid of the answer he was about to receive.

“I’m alright,” she attempted to reassure him, turning her gaze towards Cara and Nicci. “Who are they?”

Richard frowned with her question, a degree of his fears being realized in that moment. “It’s Cara,” he told her, nodding towards the Mord’Sith before turning towards the sorceress. “And this is Sister Nicci. She’s a former Sister of the Dark.”

Kahlan studied them both, uncertainty filling her eyes. “Is one of them your lover?”

“What?” Richard exclaimed in shock. “No, they’re our friends. Don’t you remember Cara from when we were in the Aku village?”

Kahlan slowly shook her head, murmuring “no” as she moved a little closer to Richard, her never leaving Cara and Nicci. “Who are the Aku?”

Richard’s frown deepened as his heart beat began to race. He didn’t like this at all. “I think I had better take you back to your quarters to rest until Zedd gets back.”

“Who is Zedd?” she demanded to know, growing more and more panicked by her lack of memory. “None of this makes any sense. What is going on? Why can’t I remember anything?”

Cara and Nicci stared in bewilderment as well as growing concern, the Mord’Sith stunned by how rapidly Kahlan’s mind was breaking down. She knew they needed to find a way to help her soon before it was too late to reverse the spell’s affects on her mind.

“Richard!”

The Seeker looked up to find his grandfather coming towards them, a book clutched firmly in his hand. While relieved to see him, the look of dread on Zedd’s face told him that things were about to get even worse than they already were.

“Zedd, what’s wrong?” Richard asked.

“We have a very big problem,” the Wizard stated, his brown eyes filled with fear as he lifted his hand to show them the book that he’d found in the Keep. “You and I need to talk…now.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 21

Richard leaned over to kiss Kahlan gently on the forehead, his eyes momentarily falling closed as he adjusted the covers over her. “I’ll be back soon,” he reassured her. “I just need to talk to Zedd for a moment.”

Kahlan swiftly captured his hand just as he turned to leave. “Please…stay with me,” she pleaded with eyelids already heavy with sleep that threatened to take over. “Don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone again.”

Her words pierced his heart as sure as a dagger’s blade as her grip on his hand loosened a little, the pull of sleep too strong for her to fight any longer. He sat down on the edge of her bed, his fingers tenderly stroking her hair.

“I’m so sorry, Kahlan,” he softly said. “I know I hurt you and I know that none of this makes any sense to you, but I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this for you.”

He leaned forward once more to kiss her cheek, staying there a beat longer before reluctantly releasing her hand. All he wanted to do in that moment was to crawl into that bed beside her, hold her firmly against him and never let her go. Unfortunately, Zedd still waited for him in the next room with news that was going to be anything but pleasant.

His insides churned with dread as he left Kahlan’s bedchambers, softly closing the door behind him. Turning, he found Zedd pacing, his wiry white eyebrows knitted together into one and a scowl fixed on his face fierce enough to intimidate even him. It was definitely doing nothing to settle the trepidation welling up inside of him in that moment.

Richard folded firmly his arms against his chest in preparation for what he was about to hear, his worried gaze shifting to Cara and Nicci who were sitting in chairs near the fireplace. Their expressions revealed absolutely nothing, indicating that they knew about as much as Richard did at that moment.

“Alright, Zedd,” Richard finally said. “What did you find out?”

“Richard,” Zedd began, pausing to draw a deep breath before continuing. “I think you should sit down.”

Richard immediately grew rigid with his grandfather’s suggestion, his brown eyes darkening with unbridled fear mixed with anger. “Tell me, Zedd,” he bit out, emotion punctuating every single word. “What is happening to Kahlan?”

Zedd closed the distance between them, his bony hand coming to rest on his grandson’s shoulder. “Richard, Kahlan is with child.”

The Seeker stood frozen for several moments as the words gradually sunk into his frazzled mind. A smile slowly spread across his face as his eyes grew moist. “We’re going to have a baby?” he whispered incredulously, his heart pounding against his ribcage with excitement until dreadful realization suddenly washed over him. “What else haven’t you told me yet?”

“The spell is causing Kahlan’s mind to break down more rapidly than I had first believed,” Zedd continued. “I’ve found a way to remove it, but…”

Zedd’s voice trailed off, his throat tightening with overwhelming sorrow for what he had to tell him next. Richard stepped closer, his pulse racing as he grabbed his grandfather by the arms in order to stay upright. “Zedd, please tell me.”

“If I remove the spell now, Kahlan will more than likely lose the baby,” he revealed. “If we wait until after the baby is born, her mind will be too far gone to repair it. She’ll essentially be brain dead and there will be no way to reverse it.”

Richard stared at his grandfather as elation turned into unbearable anguish. “There…there has to be a way to save them both,” he murmured, fighting to hold himself together as he tried to process the news.

“I don’t know that there is another way, Richard,” the old Wizard replied, tears forming in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, my boy. The spell Demos used is made up of occult magic from the Underworld making it very lethal and unstable. Kahlan is hopefully strong enough to handle trying to remove the spell, but the unborn child growing within her won’t be.”

Tears burned in Richard’s eyes as his heart shattered into nothing but jagged pieces in his chest. “Does Kahlan know?”

“She knows that she’s with child, but I doubt that she remembers it now,” Zedd informed him, squeezing his shoulder sympathetically. “Her memory is severely limited. There’s no way she could make a rational decision in her current state. As the father of her child and her future husband, you will have to be the one to make the decision about what to do.”

Richard turned away from his grandfather, scrubbing his face with his hands. This couldn’t be happening. “How am I supposed to choose between Kahlan and our baby?” he asked as he sank into a nearby chair, tears threatening to fall. “If I choose Kahlan over our baby, she’ll never forgive me, but if I choose our child, I’ll lose Kahlan forever.”

“I know it’s an impossible choice to make, but we must decide quickly, Richard,” Zedd told him, urgency lacing his voice. “I’m afraid that the longer we wait, the greater the risk is to Kahlan. Even now, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to restore all of her mind. There still might be holes in her memories that may never be filled.”

Richard leaned forward, holding his head in his hands. It felt as though all the air had been sucked from his lungs. He couldn’t believe it had come to this. He knew that the spell was affecting her mind and yet he still made love to her. He should have waited to be with her until Zedd had removed that damn spell before touching her, but he was hopelessly in love with her. He had been so relieved to have her safely back with him in the Aku village, back where she always belonged.

He never should’ve give in to his desire for her, allowed his lust to take over. He should’ve been stronger, not surrendering to her so willingly.

He felt a sudden hand on his shoulder, too small to be Zedd’s. He looked up to find Nicci standing before him, her eyes touched with sorrow. “I’m so sorry, Richard,” she gently said. “Please let me work with Zedd to see if we can come up with a way to save your baby as well as Kahlan.”

“Do you really think you can?” he asked, hope filling his tormented eyes.

“There’s a possibility,” she replied with a nod of her head. “I think if one of us worked to remove the spell while the other created a shield of protection around your unborn child then we might have a chance.”

Richard quickly looked to his grandfather who was standing nearby, stroking his chin in thoughtful consideration. “You know she might just have a good idea,” he conceded. “It’s definitely worth investigating further.”

“If Zedd might allow me to work with him, we should be able to come up with a plan by tomorrow or the next day at the latest.”

“I would be so grateful for whatever you can possibly do to help her and our baby,” he said, releasing a ragged sigh.

“We’ll get to work on it right away,” Zedd told him, his mood brightening somewhat. “Follow me, young lady. We have work to do.”

Cara and Richard watched as Zedd led the sorceress out, leaving the two of them alone. “You should get some sleep,” the Mord’Sith told him as she stood to her feet. “You look terrible.”

“Thanks, Cara,” he responded with a frown as he stood to his feet, raking his fingers back through his brown hair. “Why does everything seem to always go from bad to worse?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure that Nicci and Zedd will figure something out.”

The Seeker gave her a wry smile. “Now you finally trust Nicci?”

“Let’s just say that she proved herself in that fight,” Cara admitted. “Besides, I noticed the difference in her eyes after she broke free from that spell. You’re not the only observant one you know.”

“Get some sleep,” he told her. “All of this with Demos is far from over.”

“I’ll be next door if you need me,” she said, attempting to stifle a yawn.

Richard nodded in response before turning to reenter Kahlan’s bed chamber, more than anxious to fall asleep next to her. It felt like an eternity since he’d last been able to fall asleep with her in his arms. He always slept better when he was lying next to her.

He stood inside the doorway of her bedchamber for a long moment staring at Kahlan as she slept, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest. The peaceful expression that lit her face helped soothe his tortured spirit and at the same time broke his heart even more. 

She was carrying his child inside of her. The thought of it was staggering to comprehend. It was something that he had wanted with her for so very long and now that it was finally happening, he was on the verge of losing both of them. Would he never be rid of Demos’s interference in their lives?

Unshed tears caused his chest to tighten, lodging in his throat and stealing his breath. He forced himself to turn away from her before he lost it completely, searching for the bathing room. He just wanted to get cleaned up and curl up in bed next to Kahlan, sleeping for days.

Stripping off his clothes, he washed quickly, drying off before heading to bed. He pulled back the covers, not wanting to disturb her. He climbed in next to her, carefully molding his body around her, his arms snaking around her and pulling her close against his chest. 

He breathed deeply, inhaling her intoxicating scent that was so Kahlan, one that never ceased to drive him crazy. His hand came to rest on her flat abdomen, imagining their baby growing beneath his palm. He couldn’t help wondering if it was a boy or a girl, had her blue eyes or his brown hair, but he didn’t care as long as their child was healthy.

This was his dream come true, the life that he had wanted since he had met her, since she had captured his heart. Unfortunately, that very same dream was on the verge of shattering, taking his life with it.

“Richard…” Kahlan murmured in her sleep. “My love…”

Her words, though spoken in the depths of sleep, caused his heart to flutter in response. “That’s right, Kahlan,” he softly said, nuzzling her hair with his nose. “No matter what happens, never forget how much I love you. It’s always been you.”

“My Richard,” she whispered, her hand moving in her sleep to come to rest over his on her abdomen.

Tears pricked the Seeker’s eyes as he buried his face in her hair. “My perfect Kahlan,” he told her as sleep quickly claimed him as well.

XXX

“General Stone, have all patrolling parties reported back yet?” Demos asked, standing with his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the moon shining bright above them.

“No, one patrol has yet to return,” Stone grimly informed him.

“Which one hasn’t returned?” Demos asked with a frown.

“Commander Soren’s men,” Stone revealed. “They headed west to scout out the area. They were to return this morning, but they have yet to come back.”

Demos considered the information for a moment, his jaw tensing. “I’m sure my brother the Seeker has something to do with their delay.”

“Should I send some troops out to look for them?”

“No, they’re more than likely dead and not returning,” Demos casually replied as he turned to retire to his tent.

General Stone was stunned by Lord Rahl’s theory about what had happened to their men. “Sir, is there anything else you would like me to do?”

“Yes, prepare the men to make a run for Aydindril in the morning,” he said over his shoulder. “We will send them a warning to turn over the Seeker and Mother Confessor or we will burn the city to the ground.”

General Stone nodded his head, not entirely convinced about the Lord Rahl’s plans, “Aye, Sir,” he responded with a fist to his chest as Demos made his way to his tent.

Demos stopped outside of his tent, pausing to gaze into the fire. He somehow knew that his twin brother would be making another visit, another attempt at interfering in his plans. He would not be swayed by his dead brother’s efforts to suck him into the Keeper’s attempts to escape from the Underworld. It had only hindered him so far.

As if on cue, Darken Rahl appeared in the shifting flames of the fire, his hands clasped before him. His eyes were dark with rage, not one ounce of his hatred being hidden at that moment. “You betrayed us,” Darken ground out.

Demos stood before him, completely unfazed by the furious vision of his twin brother. “I have betrayed no one,” he evenly stated. “I am not bound to you or the Keeper and his ridiculous plans.”

“We were supposed to be working together towards a common goal,” Darken snapped, his lips twisting into a sneer.

“You have your goals and I have mine,” Demos countered, refusing to back down. “They are not one and the same. Besides, I owe you and the Keeper absolutely nothing. I can do as I please and I will regardless of what you have to say this time.”

Darken’s face darkened, his fury deepening. “I will make sure you pay for this betrayal.”

Demos folded his arms across his chest, amused by his twin’s threat. “And how do you plan to do that? You are dead and the Keeper is trapped in the Underworld. Your reach only extends so far.”

“We have our ways of making things happen to our benefit,” Darken ominously threatened him.

“Like your Sisters of the Dark?” Demos mocked him, quirking a questioning eyebrow. “They have really come through for you, haven’t they? They were supposed to bring me Richard and Kahlan and yet I stand here without them. Instead, I had to take my army to Aydindril to retrieve what I want myself.”

“Richard killed the Sisters of the Dark that I had sent after him,” Darken revealed. “All that remains is Sister Nicci. She is the most powerful sorceress who has ever lived. She will not fail to get us what we both want.”

“What else are you up to, Darken?” he demanded to know.

“What are you talking about?” Darken snapped, his dark gaze narrowing suspiciously.

“I know you have something else up your sleeve, something that even the Keeper is probably not aware of,” Demos coldly stated.

“What if I do?” Darken retorted. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me. I will escape from the Underworld someday and I will come after you and what is mine. You will not possess my throne for long.”

Demos only smirked in response, not the least bit afraid of him. It would take a miracle to resurrect himself from the dead. “I wouldn’t get too attached to that dream, brother. I have a feeling you’ll be staying in the Underworld for a lot longer than you think.”

Before Darken could respond, Demos picked up a nearby bucket of water and doused the fire, his brother’s image abruptly extinguished with the fire. He ground his teeth as he kicked at the once smoldering logs, wet ash being lifted into the air with his boot.

“You’ll come back to this world over my dead body,” Demos growled to himself before turning and entering his tent.

XXX

Richard became acutely aware that it was morning as shafts of sunlight spilled over him, but it was the feel of a warm soft body curled up against him that got his full attention. Long legs were tangled with his, raven hair splayed on his chest. It felt like paradise to be in this big bed with the woman he loved…would give his very life for.

The feel of lips suddenly pressing against his chest instantly awakened other body parts as well. Spirits, he had missed her so much it had hurt. His hand slid from its resting place on her back up into her hair to cradle the back of her head and keep her near him. 

His lips parted as a shaky breath broke free, carrying with it an unspoken desperate plea for more. He felt a tremble of passion roil through him, settling in his groin as her tongue slipped out to swirl around his nipple, her teeth raking teasingly over it as his fingers massaged her scalp.

He gasped softly as her hand slipped down to his chiseled abdominals, caressing him with a feather light touch that set his whole body on fire before shifting lower and finding the evidence of his arousal. Her slender fingers slid around his rock hard need, squeezing and stroking him with tender care.

A low hiss escaped his clenched teeth as he screwed his eyes even tighter shut. He knew he needed to put a stop to this right now, needed to remove her hand from his throbbing erection, but spirits help him he wanted her so badly.

“Kahlan…” He finally managed to choke out her name as she kissed and nipped along his throat to his ear.

He could feel his thoughts rapidly becoming clouded, evaporating in the thick haze of passion that was filling his mind and consuming his body at that moment. His heart was beginning to pound in response to her focused ministrations, his breaths growing ragged.

“I’ve missed you so much I thought I wouldn’t make it another moment without you,” she murmured sensually in his ear. “You are the only thing real to me anymore, Richard…the only thing helping me stay sane right now.”

Richard could hear the soft tremor in her voice, the fear that she was carrying within her along with their child. It was killing him to watch what how much she was hurting, how hard she was struggling to fight what the spell was trying to take from her….from them.

She was his Confessor, his warrior and he loved her with a love so pure and all-consuming that it had allowed him to have this with her now, allowed him to have his dream come true. And he would protect it with his very last breath.

He arched his back as she quickened her pace, her hot mouth nibbling incessantly on his earlobe. He could hardly catch his breath, unbelievable pleasure thrumming through him in relentless waves. Kahlan shifted her position, pausing long enough to remove her hand before sliding down his hardened length.

She slowly took him inside of her a little at a time, prolonging both his pleasure as well as her own and relishing every single second of this joining with him. He was finally back with her where he should be, in her bed and inside her body and it felt so incredible.

Kahlan’s head fell back with a sharp gasp as she finally took every last inch of him inside of her, her long raven hair slipping down her spine and savoring the feel of him so hot and hard and deep inside of her. Her chest was already beginning to heave with the immense gratification that pulsed through her entire body, memories of being with him like this in the Aku village inundating her.

Tears pricked her eyes as she took a moment to absorb every single feeling, every sensation flooding through her system, knowing at any moment she would forget all of it, no longer able to remember the amazing feeling of him fully sheathed inside of her, the desperation behind each caress of his hands against her skin, his moans and gasps of rapture or the sound of her name so breathless on his lips.

She felt the salty drops break free to trickle down her cheeks as she finally gazed down at him. Richard looked up at her with such sadness mingled with lust permeating his chestnut brown eyes. He reached up with one hand and gently erased her tears with his fingertips before cupping the side of her face.

“Kahlan…please,” he whispered, his unspoken request hanging in the air between them.

“I remember you, Richard,” she softly promised him as she ground her hips over him. “Right now, I know you and I want you more than anything in this world.”

“But I…”

“Please, Richard…please make love to me while I still remember you,” she pleaded, her sapphire blue eyes beseeching him.

With a fierce growl of resolve, Richard suddenly lunged forward, his arms wrapping firmly around her waist and keeping her pressed against his chest as he rolled her under him in one swift motion. His mouth crashed into hers in a fiery collision of passion and desire, determined to make this moment memorable not only for her but for him as well.

Breaking the kiss, he gazed down at her as he propped himself up on his elbows, grinding his hips hard against hers and causing her mouth to fall open with a breathless gasp. She felt her entire body grow tense, muscles coiling and her magic already threatening to unleash itself like a powerful untamable whip.

“Richard…” she breathlessly called out his name, arching her head back deeper into the pillow. “Please…I need you…now…”

He obediently began to move his hips, thrusting in and out of her with deep plunging strokes that took her breath away like only he ever could. She pulled her knees further up against her body, begging him to drive deeper still inside of her, connecting them even more as one as she silently prayed that he would never stop.

Her fingernails found purchase in his shoulder blades, causing him to lift his head from her breast and gasp in response. Sweat began to glisten on their joined bodies, hearts racing as they strained towards each other…drawing closer and closer still and yet not nearly close enough for either of their liking.

Kahlan wanted to crawl right inside of him as her body bowed with every powerful thrust, wanting to drown herself in his love and shelter herself in the sense of security that he always brought her. With him, she found true happiness and solace, didn’t have to be afraid of anything not even this spell that threatened her life, her future.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured between panting breaths and hot kisses against her throat. “I love you…Spirits, I love you, Kahlan.”

She leaned up, capturing his lips in another heated kiss that only served to steal what little breath he had left in his lungs at that moment. His hands moved down to roughly grip her hips almost to the point of bruising, but he couldn’t hold himself back any longer, not with what was happening to her. He needed her so badly right now.

She began to writhe beneath him, his name becoming nothing more than a gasping chant on her beautiful lips. His hand moved to press her knee to her chest, causing her to scream out with pleasure as he repeatedly hit that spot deep within her that drove her absolutely wild.

He continued to pound into her, giving her every last bit that he had within him and wanting it to last forever, but fatigue began to settle over him. He wasn’t going to last much longer, not with how hot and amazing she felt around him. 

Her head rolled from side to side, tears stinging her eyes again as she felt her tightly wound magic rise up within her and mingling with her soaring pleasure into a powerful eruption, her magic lashing out to capture Richard’s soul and finding it already belonged to her along with his heart. 

She suddenly came with a cry of his name, her fingers raking down his back only to let go as her arms fell limply to the bed. She trembled violently as she felt her body and mind shatter into thousands of pieces with mindless euphoria and yet he continued to drive into her with all the love and passion he felt for her.

She struggled to catch her breath as she attempted to recover from her first orgasm only to have Richard drive her straight into a second one. Sweat trickled between her breasts as her body convulsed beneath him, her fingers clutching at the sheets and hanging on for dear life.

Richard tried to hang on for as long as humanly possibly but he couldn’t rein in his impending orgasm any longer, not with her walls clamping down hard on him like a vice. He spilled his hot seed deep within her, spurt after painful spurt erupting violently within her as she milked him for all that he had.

Panting heavily, his limbs finally gave out on him, causing him to collapse on top of her. Guilt suddenly washed over him, threatening to erase the incredible euphoria consuming him at that moment. He never should have made love to her, not when she wasn’t herself yet. It was why they were in the trouble they were in now and yet he couldn’t have denied her. He had needed her now just as desperately as she had needed him…needed this connection with one another.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, tears breaking free against his will. He just loved her so much, already loved this baby growing within her and he was on the brink of losing them both. He wouldn’t survive it.

“Shhh….” She whispered as she gently stroked his hair damp with sweat. “It’s alright, my Richard.”

He tightened his hold on her, clinging to her as he lost himself not only in her body, but in her love for him. “I can’t lose you, Kahlan,” he confessed with a strangled sob. “I…I’m not strong enough. I may be the Seeker, but…Spirits, I’m not strong enough.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she simply told him as she continued to run her fingers through her hair. “I love you, Richard.”

Finally pulling himself together, he lifted his head to look into her eyes. “Zedd and Nicci are working on a way to save you and our baby. Hopefully, this will all be over soon.”

“I hope she looks like you,” she softly confessed as she stared into his eyes. “My brave, handsome Seeker.”

“I’m not very brave, Kahlan,” he admitted. “I’m so terrified right now.”

“I am too,” she replied, pausing to brush her lips against his. “But I have you with me now and I’m not quite so afraid anymore.”

“I swear on my life we’ll get through this, Kahlan,” he promised her as he rolled over onto his back, pulling her with him. “I’ll never give up on you.”

“I know,” she smiled softly as she snuggled up against him, her head coming to rest over his still pounding heart. “I trust you with all my heart.”  
Richard stared up at the ceiling, feeling Kahlan relax against him. He knew she was asleep again. He just prayed that when she woke, she’d still remember him, remember how much he loved her. He didn’t think he could handle it if she didn’t.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 22

Kahlan woke with a start to the sound of people talking. It was muffled, but loud, invading her deep sleep. Someone was arguing…upset. She quickly sat up, looking around the room to find herself all alone in her bed, no one else in sight.

She sleepily ran her fingers back through her long raven hair, trying to shake the last remnants of sleep from her mind so she could remember what was happening. Everything was so disjointed and hazy, nothing making any sense to her at all. She wasn’t even sure whose bed she was in or where she was at.

Panic lanced through her like a bolt of lightning. “Richard?” she called, her heart beginning to race as she climbed out of bed.

She quickly dressed, anxious to find Richard. He would know what was going on. Something was definitely happening in the next room, an argument that was rapidly escalating. Pulling on her boots, she made her way to the door, her hand pausing on the handle as she pressed her ear against the thick heavy wood.

It sounded like Richard speaking. He was upset about something, but she couldn’t figure out what was going on. She slowly opened the door, afraid of what she might find and yet she needed to see Richard. She didn’t remember what had happened last night, only that he was here with her now.

Peering into the next room, she saw Richard standing with his arms folded across his chest, fury blazing in his dark brown eyes. She shuddered to think what could have put that amount of anger there. There were two other men and two women standing with him as well. None of them looked very pleased about whatever they were talking about.

“I say we attack,” the woman with the shoulder length blond hair said, her scowl fierce and intimidating.

“I’ve already locked down the city,” the man in military dress announced. “There is no way they are getting inside the walls of Aydindril.”

“Well, we need to take care of that spell first no matter what,” the elderly man in long robes insisted. “We can’t wait much longer to do something about it. It’s already progressed much faster than I had anticipated.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to try it?” Richard asked, worry evident in his voice.

“We have a good chance of saving her and the baby both,” the beautiful woman with long blond hair confirmed, giving Richard a reassuring smile that Kahlan did not like in the least.

The woman dressed in red leather snorted with obvious disdain. “We also can’t just ignore the large army sitting outside waiting to break down our door. I’ll go with Jancy and see what we can do about coming up with a counter attack.”

“I want Demos,” Richard stated with a deadly calm that caused a shiver to race up Kahlan’s spine. His resolve was more than evident, his fury simmering just beneath the surface and set to explode with the smallest of sparks.

“Richard?” Kahlan softly called to him, feeling awkward and out of place. All five heads turned and looked at her at once, adding to her uncertainty and doubt. 

Richard turned to find her standing in the doorway of her bedchambers. Fear mingled with confusion clouded her eyes as her gaze shifted suspiciously from Zedd, Jancy, Nicci and finally to Cara. It was obvious that she didn’t remember any of them. He was just fortunate she still remembered him.

“What’s going on?” Kahlan asked. “Who are they and what are they doing here?”

Richard immediately went to her, forcing himself to relax as he took her hands in his. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he gently reassured her. “They’re our friends.”

“What’s the matter?” she asked again, turning her attention on him. “Why are you so upset?”

The Seeker drew a deep breath as he tried to rein in his anger, but it was more than difficult with what he’d just learned about Demos. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Don’t coddle me, Richard,” she angrily snapped, taking a step back away from him. “I may not have my memory, but I’m not stupid. I can tell that you’re angry about something.”

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, losing himself in the sapphire blue of her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m just worried about you.”

He couldn’t help the tremble of desire that roiled through him, memories of several hours ago resurfacing in his mind. It had been more than amazing being with her in that way again, expressing their love for one another in the most intimate of ways. It had helped relieve a measure of his worry and at the same time hardened his resolve to save her no matter what.

“Tell her, Richard,” Zedd coaxed him from behind. “This involves her too. She has the right to know what’s going on.”

Richard knew that his grandfather had left the rest of it unspoken, knowing that she wouldn’t remember later. The thought was crushing to him. “Demos Rahl is here with his army, camped outside the walls of Aydindril. He’s demanding you and I surrender ourselves to him or he’ll destroy the city.”

Kahlan’s expression hardened, her eyes darkening. “We can’t let him do that,” she resolutely stated. “Who is this madman?”

“He is the rule of D’Hara…and my brother,” Richard admitted. “He’s been after us for a long time now, trying to get his hands on you. He wants you for himself, Kahlan, but I won’t let him take you away from me.”

“But what is my life compared to a whole city?” she questioned him, shaking her head in disagreement.

“It is damn-well worth a lot to me,” Richard snapped, immediately regretting losing his temper with her. None of this was her fault. “I’m sorry, Kahlan. I know you don’t want anyone to die because of you, but I’m not going to just hand you over to him. He’s a sadistic monster who will only hurt you. I’d rather die than let that happen to you.”

“But, Richard—”

“No, Kahlan,” he adamantly stated, his tone leaving no room for further argument. “We’ll figure a way out of this without sacrificing you. Right now, we need to concentrate on removing that spell from your mind.”

“Now?” she asked with a frown. “Isn’t stopping this Demos more important?”

Richard closed the distance between them even further, his hands moving to grip her upper arms as he stared into her eyes. “Nothing is more important to me than you and this baby. Once I know you’re safe, I’ll take care of Demos.”

“I can’t let you go after him alone,” Kahlan maintained, refusing to back down. “I know I don’t have my memory, but I’m sure there’s something I can do to help.”

“You can help by staying right here and protecting our baby,” he told her.

Kahlan’s eyes fell closed as she released a weary sigh, heated frustration bubbling to the surface. She jerked free of his hold on her, turning and storming away from him. She couldn’t take this any longer, the not knowing or understanding what was really going on eating away at her.

“I’ll be right back,” Richard told the others before entering her bedchambers and closing the door behind him so he could talk to her alone. “Kahlan, please talk to me.”

“Just leave me alone,” she coldly stated, turning her back to him as she wrapped her arms around her body in an effort to hold herself together. Everything felt as though it was falling apart around her.

Richard’s heart sunk with her anger. He knew that she didn’t understand what was happening right now or why, where she fit in the middle of this whole mess. He could only imagine how utterly lost and alone she must be feeling being the only one not being able to comprehend what was going on.

He silently made his way towards her, fighting down his own frustration and anger with the whole situation. “Kahlan, I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me,” he evenly stated, refusing to back down.

“Why not?” she demanded to know, her tone bitter as she walked away from him. “You left me before without a word.”

Richard watched in stunned disbelief as she went to sit down on the foot of the bed. “You remember that?” he asked, his voice hoarse with guilt and regret.

“Not why you left me, where we were or when exactly,” she confessed as she stared at her hands resting in her lap. “I only remember waking up and you were gone. It hurt so much to have you suddenly leave me like that.”

Guilt swelled like a dark thunderhead in his chest, her words stinging like a slap to his face. He knew in his heart that he had done what he’d had to do in order to save her, but she couldn’t see it right now. Hopefully once the spell was removed, she’d find a way to forgive him for leaving her like he had.

He silently went to her, sitting down beside her on the bed and allowing a little distance between them. He looked down at his own hands…hands that were desperate to touch her again, to feel her soft skin and bring her pleasure, to show her once again the love for her that lived inside of him.

“Kahlan, I know this is all so confusing for you, but please believe that leaving you was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Nothing means more to me in this world then you and this baby we made together.”

She finally looked up, meeting his heartbroken gaze with tear-filled eyes. “I want to believe you,” she softly told him as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I just don’t know what to do think or believe anymore. Nothing makes sense to me.”

“There wasn’t one moment that went by that I wasn’t thinking of you while we were separated, wondering if you were alright or if you hated me for leaving you,” he confessed, reaching over to take her hand in his and lacing their fingers. “I only left because I had to keep you safe. I couldn’t risk the Sisters of the Dark finding you.”

The gentle caress of his thumb against the back of her hand sent pleasurable tingles up her arm, helping to soothe her tormented soul. Biting her bottom lip, she pulled her hand free from his, leaning forward to hold her throbbing head in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. Her head was pounding like a hammer on an anvil, her stomach roiling and creating fierce waves of nausea.

“Does your head hurt again?” he asked, his hand coming to rest against her back.

“Yes,” she murmured, squeezing her eyes closed against the fresh wash of tears that threatened to escape anew. She hated this feeling of helplessness and confusion, her emotions rolling so out of control. “I’m sorry, Richard. I just want to be the woman you fell in love with before all of this happened. You deserve better than this.”

Richard tenderly stroked her hair, the ache in his chest expanding like a painful cavity that refused to heal. He knew it wouldn’t heal until this was all finally over, Kahlan was safe and Demos Rahl was dead. Only then could he finally be free from the dread that was eating away at him.

“You already are the woman that I fell in love with, Kahlan. There isn’t anything in this world that could possibly change that,” he reassured her.

“It feels like everything is spinning so far out of control,” she admitted with a shuddering gasp, turning and throwing herself against him, his arms instantly wrapping around her. “I keep trying so hard to grab hold of the bits that I do remember so I won’t forget them, but everything keeps slipping through my fingers. I’m so terrified of the moment when I won’t be able to remember you.”

Richard tilted his head down to press his lips to her hair, his arms tightening around her. “Zedd and Nicci are ready to remove the spell now. They think they can remove it without endangering the baby.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” she asked, pulling back to look at him through a veil of tears. “What if we…we lose our baby? You’ll end up hating me for it and I couldn’t live with that.”

Richard swiftly grabbed hold of her face, a little rougher than he’d intended, but he was anxious to make her understand. “There is absolutely nothing you could possibly do to make me hate you, Kahlan. If we lose this baby, it will break my heart, but I would never blame you for it. We’re going to have as many children as you want and they’re all going to be beautiful and perfect just like you.”

Tears slowly trailed down her cheeks as she lost herself in his brown eyes that were full of such love for her that it stole her breath. “I love you, Richard,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in the crook of his neck. “No matter what happens, I will always love you.”

“The only thing that is going to happen is Zedd freeing you from this spell,” he attempted to comfort her. “I’m going to stop Demos, we’re going to get married and then in nine months, we are going to have a beautiful baby.”

Several moments went by without any response causing Richard to grow even more concerned as her embrace abruptly grew limp. He pulled back, his hands holding her face. “Kahlan,” he called her name, panic gripping him. “Kahlan!” Receiving no response, he swiftly picked her up in his arms, laying her down on the bed. “Zedd, its Kahlan!” he yelled.

Zedd raced into the bedchamber followed closely by Sister Nicci. The lines around the old Wizard’s eyes were tight with fear as he leaned over Kahlan, his hands moving to rest on either side of her head. He gasped, his eyes flying open.

“What is it?” Richard demanded.

“The spell has degraded even further,” Zedd revealed. “If we don’t do something right now, we’ll lose her forever.”

“Do whatever you have to do to save her, Zedd,” he told him, his voice hard like steel despite the fact his insides were trembling with fear.

Zedd placed a reassuring hand on his grandson’s shoulder, squeezing it firmly. “We’ll do everything we can to save her and the baby, but I can’t guarantee that this is going to work, Richard. There is still a chance that we may lose her and the baby.”

“I’ll lose them both if we do nothing,” Richard growled, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “I know you’ll do the best that you can.”

Zedd released a worried breath as he looked to Nicci who was standing silently at the foot of the bed, a grim expression veiling her face, her lips pursed in determination. “I promise you, Richard, we’ll do everything we can to save them both,” she told him.

Richard could only nod his head in silent acknowledgment. He couldn’t make his voice or tongue work, his mind swirling with an endless sea of thoughts and emotions that he couldn’t begin to put into words. This had to work. Any other option was unimaginable, unacceptable.

He gently brushed her raven hair from her forehead. He leaned forward, pressing his lips softly against hers as his eyes fell closed in a silent pray that she would survive this. “I love you, Kahlan,” he whispered before finally releasing her.

Standing to his feet, he moved out of the way, allowing Zedd and Nicci to do what they had to in order to remove Demos’s spell and save her mind from the magic that was trying to destroy it. He began to pace across the large room, unable to handle just standing there doing nothing.

Helplessness wrapped around him like a suffocating cloak, imprisoning him in its vice-like hold. He raked his fingers back through his hair, his other hand falling to rest on the hilt of his sword. This wasn’t something that he could fight with his blade, an evil foe that he could defeat and send to the Underworld and the Keeper.

This was something that only magic could possibly conquer, saving her or possibly taking her and his baby away from him. Hot fury pulsated through his veins like liquid fire, an overwhelming desire for Demos’s blood crying out in his soul.

Kahlan was in this danger because of Demos and his damn layered spell. He swore on his life that this was the last time that his brother would meddle in their lives. As soon as he knew that Kahlan and their baby were alright, he was going after Demos, ending his life and his sadistic reign as Lord Rahl of D’Hara forever.

Richard continued to pace as he glanced over at Zedd and Nicci who were hovering over Kahlan. Her face looked so pale especially in contrast to her dark raven hair. His heart seized in his chest as he stared at her. She looked as though he’d already lost her. It nearly buckled his knees.

“Please, Kahlan,” he whispered to himself. “Don’t leave me.”

Nicci and Zedd leaned over Kahlan, Nicci working to remove the dangerous dark magic that had infiltrated Kahlan’s mind as Zedd held his hands out over her abdomen, creating a shield of protection around his unborn great grandchild. 

Richard could see the strain in his grandfather’s face as he whispered words of magic, winding and weaving a tight spell of protection around the baby growing within Kahlan’s womb. No one wanted to lose this baby and, at the same time, everyone understood the far-reaching ramifications of losing Kahlan—the last living Confessor.

He glanced at Nicci whose face was equally tense, her eyes closed in focused concentration. She cupped her hands lightly around Kahlan’s head, whispering her own words of powerful magic. He still couldn’t believe how this had turned out, how saving Nicci had in turn enabled her to help save Kahlan now.

If it weren’t for Nicci’s willingness to help them, Kahlan would have certainly lost the baby and maybe her life. Now with two powerful wielders of magic, she had a better chance of making it through this, their baby surviving unharmed.

Richard couldn’t help but wonder what Kahlan would be like if she lived through this. Would she remember who she was? Who he was? Would she know him at all? 

An endless parade of disparaging thoughts flowed through his mind, reminding him of all that he could possibly lose if this didn’t work. His life, his love, his future all hung in the balance at that moment, waiting and wondering and wishing for something that might come crashing down all around him.

If he lost her, he lost everything.

There was no place he could go to find respite from that crippling pain if he lost her, nowhere that he could hide that the anguish would not always follow him. There would be no escaping the misery. If she died, she’d take his heart with her.

Time felt like it had come to a standstill as he paused to glance out the balcony doors to find that the sun was already beginning to set in the distance. Demos Rahl wanted their answer to his demand by sundown and Richard was more than prepared to deliver it personally with his sword.

Right now, though, he could think of nothing else except for Kahlan and their precious little baby.

He watched with bated breath as Nicci winced, her expression morphing from intense concentration into a painful grimace. It made his heart hammer, fear raking up his spine. Something was wrong. This was taking far longer than he had anticipated.

He wanted to know what was happening, but feared asking, afraid that he might interrupt their focused attention on Kahlan and their baby. There was no room for error in this moment. It was either saving them or losing them both forever. There was no middle ground, no trying again or hopefully next time. It was all or nothing—his and Kahlan’s futures hanging precariously in the balance.

Richard’s head snapped up at the sound of Kahlan suddenly crying out his name. He watched in helpless frustration as she began to tremble all over, what little color she still had in her face draining completely. He rushed to the foot of the bed, desperate to hold her, to let her know that he was there with her.

“Kahlan!” he called to her.

“Hurry, Nicci,” Zedd ground out through clenched teeth. “The protection spell around the baby is starting to break down. I can’t hold it together much longer.”

“Almost there…just need a little…more time,” she told him, squeezing her eyes closed even tighter.

“We’re losing her!” Richard growled, running around to the other side of her bed. Crawling over the empty space that separated him from her, he swiftly snatched up her hand in his as he knelt beside her, no longer worrying about interfering. She needed to know that he was there with her. “Fight, Kahlan. Don’t you dare leave me again. You died on me once and I barely recovered from it. I won’t live through that again.”

“She’s start to stabilize again,” Nicci murmured. “I just need to remove the spell’s barbs that have wrapped around her mind.”

“Keep talking to her, Richard,” Zedd urged him.

“You have to fight, Kahlan,” Richard sternly told her leaning down to talk in her ear. “Fight to stay with me…fight for our baby. I want to marry you, Kahlan Amnell. As soon as this is over, I want to marry you and have more babies with you.”

Nicci cursed under her breath, releasing an aggravated huff of air. “The spell has attached itself deeper than I had thought,” she muttered. “I have to try to remove it without further damaging her mind.”

“You had better do it quickly,” Zedd informed her. “This little girl does not like what you’re doing to her mother.”

Tears instantly pricked Richard’s eyes with the unexpected revelation. He swallowed hard before leaning down to softly kiss Kahlan’s cheek. “We’re having a little girl, Kahlan,” he told her, his voice choked with emotion. “We’re going to have a daughter, but you have to be strong for her. You have to hold on just a little longer and then you’ll be free from this spell.”

Richard glanced up at Nicci whose face was clenched taut with concentration as she worked to undo what Demos had done to Kahlan. Sweat began to bead on her brow, exhaustion lining her features. She was giving it all she had to save Kahlan and their baby. He’d never be able to repay her for it.

He gently stroked her face, caressing her cheek as he whispered his love for her, telling her about his dreams for their life together. He told her about possible names for their little girl and how he hoped that she looked just like Kahlan, how he wanted many more babies with her.

“I can’t hold it much longer, Nicci,” Zedd yelled, fatigue and anxiety evident in his voice as well as his expression. “I can feel the spells warring against each other.”

Richard ran his fingers through her raven hair, telling her about how he had fallen in love with her almost from the moment they had met, how she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever known. He whispered low in her ear how she always turned him on, lighting a fire way down deep inside of him, one that only she could ever touch, ever quench.

“There!” Nicci exclaimed, breathing heavily. “It’s done.”

Zedd allowed his arms to fall limply to his sides, sagging in utter exhaustion. “I think we did it,” he mumbled. “The baby is fine… _she_ …is fine.”

The emphasis on “she” wasn’t missed by Richard as he looked up at his grandfather. “We’re going to have a daughter,” the Seeker whispered, still in awe by the news that made his heart swell with overwhelming joy. He glanced down at Kahlan to find her eyes still closed, a little of the color beginning to return to her face. “Why isn’t she awake? Shouldn’t she be awake now?”

“She’ll still need some time to recover,” Nicci replied. “It took far more to remove the spell than I had anticipated, but it’s gone now. I was able to repair most of the damage that it had caused, but it was quite extensive.”

“Will she be alright now? Will she have all of her memories?”

“I hope so, but we’ll have to wait and see,” Nicci admitted. “I did the best I could, but I honestly don’t know for certain if it was enough.”

“Thank you…both of you,” he softly said as he stared down at Kahlan. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“You know you never have to,” Zedd reassured him.

“You spared my life when you could’ve just as easily taken it, Richard,” Nicci reminded him. “It was the least I could do.”

“Please…go get some rest,” Richard insisted. “I’ll stay here with Kahlan.”

“Come get us if you need anything,” Zedd encouraged him.

“I will,” he agreed with a nod of his head as he settled in, moving to lie down next to Kahlan as they left him alone with her.

He laid there beside her, watching her as she slept, his fingers continually caressing the beautiful curve of her face. He couldn’t have taken his eyes off of her even if he had wanted to. He was too mesmerized by her beauty, the woman she was both inside and out. He was too scared to look away, knowing what he had almost lost today.

“I love you, Kahlan,” he whispered as he pressed his forehead to her temple, his arms slipping protectively around her. “With all my heart…I love you.”

He knew that he should be worried about the war that was set to erupt outside, the fight with his brother that was undoubtedly coming. But in the quiet stillness of the evening, he could only think about her, the baby growing inside of her and how he would give up everything to protect them—even his very own life.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 23

Demos Rahl stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his red robes snapping in the wind. His gaze was intently locked on the splendor that was Aydindril. It practically glowed like an exquisite jewel in the darkness, the moon’s rays creating a gleaming halo of serenity around it as its people slept contentedly, unaware of what was about to happen to them.

Soon, though, it would be nothing but ashes once he was through with it.

It held what he wanted most at that moment, the two people who had become his deepest obsession. They were the key to his future plans, the means to an end and nothing would get in the way of what he wanted most.

Richard was who he had originally sought after in the very beginning after he had assumed the throne in D’Haran, but it wasn’t until he’d discovered the magnificence that was the Mother Confessor that his darkest desires had awakened and soon would be realized.

He slowly, lustfully raked his teeth over his bottom lip. He had been so close to having her in his bed, but she had somehow managed to break free from the spell he’d placed on her. He still couldn’t understand how she’d been able to do that against such a powerful spell, but no matter. He had been prepared for all eventualities. That was why he had created the multi-layered spell especially for her to ensure he would get what he wanted no matter the obstacles in his way.

One way or another, he would have her and Richard would be forced to watch as he enjoyed every single inch of her over and over again, leaving his mark on her. He would be subjected to the sounds of her pleasure-filled screams, her pleading cries for more of him. Richard would witness her blood staining his sheets as he repeatedly took what he wanted in every way imaginable.

He felt himself growing more aroused by the moment as he imagined having Kahlan in his bed, repeatedly driving his hardened length deep inside of tight hot depths until she could take no more and then taking her even further yet. His fingerprints, his bite marks, his seed would be on her and in her and no amount of scrubbing could ever remove it.

He would make certain that he was forever seared into her mind, her heart and in her body. He would break her himself and enjoy every single second of it, relishing her screams for him to stop. She would eventually look upon Richard with nothing but pity and disdain by the time he was through with her and Richard would be broken by what had been taken from him—his beloved Confessor.

The thought of breaking both of them in very different ways caused the corners of his lips to curl with excitement, a wicked gleam forming in his dark eyes. It wouldn’t be long now. Soon, he would have both of them, she ruling obediently by his side while his brother would be nothing more than a broken pet chained to his bed to watch all that he would share with the woman Richard loved.

Demos slowly licked his lips as his thoughts continued to darken and grow more licentious by the moment. Kahlan was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. The substitutes that had been found for him to enjoy until he had the real Mother Confessor had paled mightily in comparison to her despite the women having dark hair and blue eyes.

While they had brought him some measure of pleasure and relief, allowing him to lose himself in their bodies, he had still known they were not the woman that he ultimately wanted. His Kahlan was inside those walls waiting for him to come and get her, rescue her from the poor excuse for a man that his brother was.

It made him want to vomit knowing that Richard had already been with Kahlan, touching her stealing her virtue, enjoying the abundant pleasures that she could no doubt offer. No matter, though. He would make her and Richard both pay for their sins. She would be his and he would make damn sure that she never called out Richard’s name in ecstasy ever again.

Lost in his own thoughts, Demos didn’t notice his general’s approach until he spoke. “Excuse me, Lord Rahl.”

Demos slowly turned a dark glower on his general, angered that the fantasy he had been forming in his mind at that moment had been interrupted. “What is it?”

“Sir, the men are prepared to attack whenever you give the order,” General Stone informed him.

“Have them wait for now,” Demos ordered him. “I want Richard to wait and wonder when we’ll strike.”

“Aydindril won’t give up the Seeker or Mother Confessor very easily,” Stone replied.

“I’m well aware of that, General,” he snapped as he turned his attention back to the city stretching out before him, thoughts of the Confessor swarming in his mind. “I knew they would refuse my demand for their surrender. Richard isn’t going to give up without a fight nor will he just hand Kahlan over to me.”

“I also came to tell you that Mistress Cassandra is ready and waiting for you in your tent,” Stone said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Even though being a seasoned, battle-tested soldier, the sounds of the Mord’Sith’s screams coming from Lord Rahl’s tent last night would undoubtedly cause him nightmares for many nights to come. It had taken everything inside of him not to go in there to rescue her, but he knew it would end up costing him his head.

“Ah, Mistress Cassandra,” Demos drawled, relishing the feel of her name on his tongue as he imagined his mouth exploring every inch of her. “I believe I will be requiring her assistance as well as Mistress Natalie’s tonight. I’m feeling exceptionally…tense…tonight.”

General Stone suppressed the internal shudder that he felt forming inside of him. “Yes, my Lord,” he muttered, steeling himself for the night’s activities. He readily decided that it would be a good night to spend far away from the Lord Rahl’s tent. “I will have Mistress Natalie prepare to meet you in your tent as well.”

Demos licked his lips again in lustful anticipation, his tongue slowly dragging along his bottom lip. “Soon, I won’t require the Mord’Sith as frequently. I’ll have the stunning Mother Confessor at my beck and call, day and night, pleasing me and meeting all of my needs.”

This time General Stone couldn’t stop the sickening shudder that roiled through him. Although committed to the Lord Rahl of D’Hara, he felt great trepidation for the Mother Confessor, sympathy for what her future held once Demos Rahl got his hands on her.

She would be fortunate if she even survived their first encounter. They’d have to keep a steady supply of Mord’Sith available at any given moment to provide her with the breath of life, reviving her after every session spent in the bed of Lord Rahl. He was not a kind man especially where a woman was concerned.

If the Seeker was as smart as he was rumored to be, he’d end his life right now before he could be forced to watch what was about to happen to his Confessor.

XXX

Richard lay on his side staring at her exquisite face, memorizing every single minute detail as his thumb repeatedly brushed her cheekbone in soft sweeping strokes. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her since Zedd and Nicci had left hours ago to get some much needed sleep.

Even though exhausted himself, he couldn’t find the desire to fall asleep, at least not until Kahlan woke. He wanted to stay awake to watch over her, to make sure that she and their baby were both alright. He wanted to be the very first thing that she saw when she finally opened her blue eyes.

She’d been through so very much since this had all began with Demos sending his army to capture him, the attack that had initially taken her from him. That was when all of this sick madness had initially started; Demos’s interference in their lives and the deadly spell that had nearly destroyed everything that he held dear to him.

He knew a bloody confrontation with his brother loomed in the near future and he found that he relished it. He was more than anxious to eliminate him permanently, but he had to take care of Kahlan first. Once he was sure that she was truly beginning to recover, then he would help lead the Aydindril army against Demos and the D’Harans, ending the threat.

After that, they could focus on their wedding and preparing for this beautiful baby that would they would have the privilege to welcome into their lives in nine months. A small smile curled his lips as he watched her sleep, nervous excitement bubbling within him.

He was going to be a father, his Confessor the mother of his child. He still was having a hard time processing it, believing it was true. He had wanted this with her for so very long, knowing they would eventually find a way to be together despite Kahlan’s fears that it would never happen.

His love had proven stronger than her powerful magic, shielding him from its deadly control. Pure and simple—she already owned him heart and soul, leaving nothing for her magic to take from him. He had already freely given her everything he had…everything he was and would eagerly do so all over again.

There was nothing that she did not own, that he wouldn’t willingly give her without question or hesitation. And what was even more incredible to him was that she loved him in return, would do no less for him. She had proven that love time and again with her sacrificial spirit, her willingness to protect him at all cost.

How he had been able to find such an amazing woman, so pure of heart and full of such immense love for him still amazed him to end. And now that love that they shared had created a little baby, tangible proof of what they felt for one another.

A girl…a daughter.

They were going to have a little girl that would hopefully have Kahlan’s dark raven hair, her bright sapphire eyes, her smile and her laughter. He wanted their daughter to have Kahlan’s compassion, her fierce sense of justice and drive for peace, her warrior spirit.

Staring at her, he was unable to hold himself back any longer, gently pressing his lips against her forehead. “Please open your eyes soon, Kahlan,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers, his nose nuzzling hers. “I miss the way you look at me, the love that shines in your eyes for me. I miss the special smile that you give only to me and no one else.”

His hand moved to her abdomen, coming to rest over their baby as his eyes fell closed. There was still no physical sign that their daughter was growing inside of her womb, but he could feel it in his heart, feel the connection not only with Kahlan but with their baby. It was startling to feel something so amazing and indescribable, something that made no sense to him. It was also terrifying at the same time.

There was going to be this new little life to take care of, one that would depend on him to protect her and he would with his very life. She would be looking to him to guide her and teach her, to train her. It was a daunting prospect, one that he relished and yet scared him to no end.

He had no idea how to be a father, how to raise a child, but he knew that he and Kahlan would find their way together. He just hoped that she would open her eyes soon. He was so anxious to truly talk to her about their baby, share their thoughts and dreams for their future together and know that she would actually remember or understand it all.

“Rich…Richard?”

A thrilling tremor tore through him with the whispered sound of his name coming from her lips. Even though her voice was weak and hoarse, it was the best thing that he’d heard in a long time. His eyes flew open with a soft gasp at the sight of those blue orbs staring back at him. It had felt like an eternity since she had fallen unconscious in his arms, since Nicci and Zedd had started the arduous process of trying to remove the spell. 

In reality, it had been last evening. Now, it was almost dawn.

“Kahlan,” he murmured, his eyes clouding with emotion as his hand cupped her cheek.

She smiled softly…his special smile that warmed him clear to his toes. Her eyes were still heavy with exhaustion, but they appeared clearer than they had been in ages—full of thoughtful awareness instead of confusion, peace instead of bewilderment and fear. It was like a soothing balm to his battered heart.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Zedd and Nicci were able to remove the spell from your mind and save our baby,” he told her, relief seeping into every fiber of his being as his fingers threaded deep in her hair to keep her close to him. “How do you feel?”

“I can hardly keep my eyes open,” she confessed, fighting to stay awake as her hand came to rest against the side of his face.

“Do you remember anything about your past…about us?” he asked.

“I…I remember you,” she softly replied as her hand slipped to his mouth, her thumb lightly tracing his lips in a sensual caress that sent tingles radiating through him. 

Her expression was full of thoughtful wonder as if she was trying to put the pieces of her life back together again, fighting to remember what had been so viciously stolen from her as she studied every handsome feature of his face. Her thumb continued to softly caress his lips, causing his arousal to flare. He forced himself to tamp down on his rapidly growing desire as he allowed her to continue to explore and study him.

“Do you remember anything else?” He tried to keep the hope from filling his voice, not wanting to put any pressure on her. She’d been through enough. She needed to take it slow now.

“I think I do,” she thoughtfully replied, her eyelids falling closed for a long moment before finally continuing. “There was a…a forest. I was running through it…being chased by four men who wanted to kill me. They had me backed up to cliff when you suddenly came to help me. You tried to protect me from them.”

Richard’s lips softly curved into a smile of relief, fighting back the excitement that swelled inside of him. He didn’t want to push her too far just yet. He leaned in to kiss her softly on the nose before finding her lips, wanting more with her but holding himself back.

“You have no idea how relieved I am, Kahlan,” he murmured against her cheek. “I was so afraid that I was going to lose you and the baby.”

He felt her arm slip around his waist, coming to settle on his back. “I think I remember more, but it’s still sort of hazy.”

He pulled back, watching as her eyes fell closed again. He knew she was rapidly losing the battle as sleep pulled heavily on her senses. “It’s alright, Kahlan,” he reassured you. “Just sleep now. We’ll talk more when you wake again.”

Kahlan’s brow instantly creased, her lips curving into a disapproving frown as unexpected fear flashed through her. “Please…please don’t leave me, Richard.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he told her, kissing her forehead again. “I need to go see Cara for a little bit, but I’ll stay here until you fall asleep and I’ll be back before you wake up.”

“Promise?” she sleepily whispered, her eyes no longer opening as her hand on his back grew lax.

“I promise,” he reassured her with soft brush of his lips against hers.

He watched as she rapidly slipped into a deep sleep once more, lost to dreams that were hopefully good and nothing about what she’d been through. He hoped that her memories would be whole when she woke up, but at least what she’d remembered so far was already better than the fragmented shards that it had been before.

Kahlan knew him, remembered him. That alone was enough to make his heart soar. Now, he just had to take care of Demos Rahl before his brother had a chance to strike again.

XXX

Richard wearily raked his fingers back through his long brown hair, fighting back the fatigue that continually tugged heavily on him. It had been a long night staying up with Kahlan to make sure she was going to be alright, but he’d do it all over again in a heartbeat especially after being greeted by those bright blue eyes and that smile she reserved solely for him.

She always managed to give him the strength he needed to push on, to put one foot in front of the other and do what he knew he needed to. She and their baby were safe at last, allowing him to release a measure of the fear and panic that had gripped him for so long now. Things were finally beginning to turn around for them. Now, he just had to make sure it continued that way.

He made his way through the Confessor’s Palace, noticing how the shafts of morning sunlight were brightening with every step he took, telling him that the day was already quickly passing. He’d finally been able to track down Cara and Jancy after searching half the palace for them. 

They’d been spotted together heading towards the north entrance of the palace. He was hoping to intercept them before looking for something to take back to Kahlan to eat. He had no idea when the last time was that she had eaten and now she was eating for two.

He wanted to talk to Cara and Jancy first though, find out what they had discovered so far. He knew that Demos wouldn’t just accept their refusal to surrender, leaving without what he had come for. And he was not about to just hand Kahlan and their baby over to that vile monster.

The things that he imagined Demos Rahl doing to Kahlan nearly made him vomit right there, causing him to falter in his step as his legs nearly gave out on him. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth, his jaw clenched painfully tight with the raw rage pulsating through him.

Pure evil like that needed to be eradicated no matter what it took.

Heading towards the north entrance, Richard finally spotted Cara and Jancy coming towards him. Neither of them looked to be in very pleasant moods, further squelching any lingering hope he had about a peaceful resolution to this standoff despite how foolish it might probably was to hold such optimism.

“Cara,” he called to her. “Any updates yet?”

Her lips were pursed into a thing grim line, her green eyes narrowed with simmering anger. “Well, Demos knows that we’re not surrendering.”

“And?” Richard pressed.

“They’re moving into position to begin the attack on Aydindril,” Jancy added, looking as equally grim as Cara.

Richard drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly before responding. “How are our defenses? Are we prepared for fight like this?”

“It won’t be easy, but they’re no match for the Aydindril army,” Jancy informed him with pride. “We could hold out for weeks without any problem.”

“I don’t think it’ll come down to that,” Richard admitted as he turned his head to stare out a nearby window, suddenly lost in his thoughts.

“Why?” Cara asked with a sharp suspicious edge to her voice. “What are you planning?”

“I’m going after Demos to take him out once and for all,” he revealed.

“You have finally lost your mind,” Cara cried, throwing her hands up in heated frustration.

“You are not going out there,” Jancy retorted with a scowl, obviously agree with Cara. “You’ll be dead before you can take two full steps outside the city walls. You’ll never survive it long enough to even reach him.”

“Demos doesn’t want me dead…at least not yet,” Richard said, shaking his head. “It’s all about mind games with him. He wants to make me suffer by torturing Kahlan. He knows the best way to get to me is through her. It’s her that he’ll pour all of his hatred and rage out on, not me.”

Cara folded her arms against her chest, her lips twisted into a sneer. “You’re not going to just hand her over to him.”

“No…never!” Richard snapped, angry that Cara would even think that he would consider doing something like that. “There is no way that I’m going to risk Kahlan’s life or the life of our baby. I will turn myself over to him and then I am going to kill him.”

“This is ludicrous,” Cara grumbled under her breath as she turned her back to him. She didn’t want to hear any more of this absurd plan of his. “We might as well start digging your grave right now.”

“Cara,” Richard sighed her name, wanting her to understand. “I have to do this in order to save Kahlan. She’ll never be safe until he’s dead.”

“So you’re just going to throw your life away and then what?” Cara exclaimed, whirling around on her heel to glare at him. “You’ll be dead, Demos will still be alive and your child won’t have a father. Kahlan will be alone to raise your child without you and she’ll still be the target of Demos’s obsession.”

“It’s not going to happen like that,” Richard growled. “You and Nicci will be there to watch my back.”

“And how will we do that? It’s not like we can just waltz into his camp unseen and expect to save you.”

“She has a point, Richard,” Jancy softly said. He had been quiet for the most part; listening and watching the argument grow more heated between the Seeker and the Mord’Sith. It was time to join in before things escalated any further. “It’s not going to be easy to get into their camp. They have the entrance to Aydindril completely blocked.”

“There has to be a secret tunnel or entrance that runs beneath the city somewhere,” Richard insisted. “There must be a way of escape someplace that they can use to sneak into his camp.”

“Actually, there is,” Jancy volunteered, a thoughtful expression abruptly lighting his face. “I know of at least one, but Zedd might know more being a Wizard of the First Order and familiar with the Keep. I’m sure he knows all the secrets of the city.”

“Great,” Cara muttered under her breath. “This just keeps getting better and better.”

“Cara, we can use the mountains and trees as cover to create an ambush,” Jancy told her.

Cara shot him a dark glower. “You are no help at all.”

Jancy just smiled at the angry Mord’Sith before turning his attention back to the Seeker. “I would rather we use the secret passage and circle around to his camp instead of just handing you over to him. This way you can still go after him with backup instead of going into his camp alone and unarmed.”

“Jancy’s plan is better…but only marginally,” Cara grudgingly agreed. “We’ll have to talk to Nicci to see what sort of plan we can come up with. If we do this, I want to make sure that we’re all on the same page. I don’t want anything going wrong. What about Zedd? What are you going to have him doing?”

“I want him to stay with Kahlan just in case she needs him,” he revealed. “She woke up for a few moments, but I’m worried she’s still not out of the woods yet. I want him here to protect her in case something goes wrong.”

“Yes, because that’s what normally happens for us, isn’t it?” Cara spat out. “Everything always falls apart.”

“We’ll only get one chance at this,” Richard stated, ignoring her skepticism. “We need to come up with a plan because we need to make our move tonight. I want to use the cover of darkness to strike.”

“Let’s get started then,” Jancy concurred. “We can talk over breakfast. I’m starving.”

“I’ll go get Nicci,” Cara told them.

Richard watched as his faithful friend stalked away, disapproval in every step she took, in the tight set of her shoulders. He knew that they were in for the fight of their lives and he was going to need her to make it through this alive.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 24

Zedd and Nicci had warned him that it was going to take Kahlan some time to recover now that the layered spell had been removed, but it was still difficult for him to be patient. She had slept the majority of the day after waking up early this morning beside him. He was more than ready for her to open her eyes and tell him that she remembered everything.

Sitting in a chair beside her bed now, Richard couldn’t help but wonder what she was dreaming about. The sweet expression on her face helped settle a measure of his worry that still lingered inside of him. This was far better than the night terrors that had haunted her before.

Inhaling deeply, he slowly released it as his eyes lifted from her to the balcony doors on the other side of the room, watching as the sun sunk lower in the sky. Night was fast approaching as was their plan to attack Demos Rahl in his camp.

He couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of apprehension about this plan, wondering if this was going to work or not. He knew that it had to work if they were ever going to be rid of Demos, if they were ever going to be able to move on with their lives without constantly having to look back over their shoulders.

He didn’t want their daughter to be born into a chaotic world where her life was in constant danger or under threat from her uncle. None of their children should have to worry about that.

He smiled to himself as he thought about having more children with her, imagining a bunch of little girls that looked just like her…maybe a couple of sons if the spirits saw fit. Kahlan wasn’t even showing yet and still he could hardly wait to have another with her. They had so much to talk about, to plan for their future together starting with their wedding.

Richard’s gaze wandered back to Kahlan, startled to find her awake and staring at him. Her special smile graced her lips as she looked at him with such love in her bright blue eyes. She reached out to grasp hold of his hand, her thumb brushing against the back of it.

“Kahlan,” he said with a soft smile of his own. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she replied, pulling her hand free in order to sit up. “How long was I asleep?”

“Most of the day,” he revealed as he got up to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. “Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” she confessed, propping herself up against the mound of pillows behind her.

Richard got up to fetch the tray of food he’d had brought up to her suite just a few moments ago, hoping she’d wake soon. “It’s still warm,” he told her as he settled down on the edge of the bed with her once more.

“At this point, I could eat just about anything,” she readily decided as Richard shifted the tray over her lap.

He watched as she picked up some bread, slathering on some jam before taking a bite. Her eyes fell closed in obvious enjoyment causing Richard to chuckle softly. “I thought you might enjoy that.”

“You know me too well,” she replied with a giggle of her own as she wiped some jam from her lip.

It felt wonderful to see his Kahlan like this again, more relaxed and at ease, more confident and sure of herself. “Do you know me well too?” he tentatively ventured, wary of her answer.

“Richard Cypher Rahl,” she said, her eyes shining with happiness as she gazed at him. “Grew up in Westland as a woods’ guide only to become the Seeker of Truth and father of my baby and soon-to-be husband.”

Overcome with emotion, Richard leaned over the tray that separated them to kiss her deeply, tasting the sweetness of the jam still lingering on her tongue. “I could kiss you all day and never get tired of it, especially when you taste like strawberry jam,” he teased, brimming with relief that she was going to be alright.

Kahlan grinned as she stared at him, her expression suddenly growing solemn. “I’m so sorry, Richard,” she softly told him as her hand came to rest against his cheek. “I know I’ve put you through so much more than you deserve these last few weeks. I tried so hard to fight it, but it was so much stronger than I am.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Kahlan,” he reassured her, momentarily melting into her touch. “It wasn’t your fault. It was all Demos’ doing, but I’m going to put a stop to him tonight.”

Kahlan’s hand fell away as her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “What are you talking about, Richard? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to infiltrate his camp tonight and kill him,” he informed her, his rage flashing through his dark chestnut brown eyes. “He will not give up until he has you so I’m putting an end to it tonight.”

“I’m going with you,” she decided as she began to set her tray of food aside.

Richard caught her wrist, tightening his hold on her. “You are not going anywhere, Kahlan.”

“You can’t go in there without help,” she snapped, her own anger flaring. 

“Nicci, Cara, and Jancy are going with me,” he revealed. “I won’t be alone. Besides, I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“I don’t like this, Richard,” she ground out, blue eyes burning with anger. “He wants you just as much as he wants me. If he catches you, there is no telling what he’ll do to you.”

The Seeker shook his head as he stood to his feet. “He only wants to torture me through you. If I can keep him away from you, he won’t want to have anything to do with me.”

“You don’t know that for certain,” she maintained, climbing out of bed and making her way towards him. “If I go with you, then I can confess him and ensure that he won’t hurt you ever again.”

“Absolutely not, Kahlan,” he bit out. “I will not take that chance. You’re carrying our baby. I won’t risk your life or our daughter’s life. You both mean far too much to me.”

“Daughter?” she murmured, stunned.

A smile replaced the anger that had been dancing in his eyes. “Yes, Zedd said that we’re going to have a daughter,” he told her. “I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to either of you. I won’t let you put yourself in danger because of me.”

“Richard, we’re in this together no matter what happens, the good and the bad,” she reminded him. “I love you. I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

Richard closed the distance, grabbing hold of her upper arms as he stared deep in her blue eyes. “And do you think I can handle it if I were to lose you?” he demanded to know. “Having to sit by and watch Demos’s spell slowly break you down and take away the woman I love has been next to unbearable. I can’t go through that again.”

Kahlan’s mouth crashed into his, kissing him with all the love that she had in her heart for him as her fingers found purchase in his hair. He returned the kiss with equal passion, pulling her closer against his body as he lost himself in her. His tongue slid into her mouth, gliding hotly against hers and tangling for control.

He wanted to stay here with her forever, but he knew he couldn’t. Demos was out there, biding his time to get his hands on Kahlan. There was no telling what that vile excuse for a human being was planning at this very moment in order to destroy what he and Kahlan shared, the amazing future that awaited them with their daughter’s birth.

Breaking for air, Kahlan pressed her forehead against his as they both struggled to catch their breath. “I will not lose you, Richard Cypher.”

“You won’t,” he insisted.

“I better not because I can’t raise our little girl without her father,” she sternly told him. “Come back to me.”

“I will, but please promise me that you will stay right here while I’m gone,” he pleaded with her. “I don’t have to have to worry about what’s happening with you when I need to concentrate on killing Demos.”

“Fine,” she relented with a reluctant frown. “I’m telling you right now, though. If you aren’t back by morning, I’m coming out there after you myself.”

“Kahlan…”

“I mean it, Richard,” she heatedly stated. “You have stayed by me through all of this when you could have easily left and just moved on. I’m not about to turn my back on you now.”

“You’re wrong, Kahlan,” he replied, pulling back to look in her eyes. “I did leave you for a short time and there was nothing easy about it. In fact, it was one of the hardest things that I’ve ever had to do. And no matter how bad things get, I’d much rather face it with you…together.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she slowly nodded her head, her bottom lip quivering. “Can’t we send the army to take care of Demos instead of you going out there?”

“I have to do this,” he gently told her, his hand coming to rest along her jaw, his thumb caressing her cheek. “I won’t be able to rest until his blood is dripping from my blade and I know that you are finally safe.”

Kahlan drew a shuddering breath in an effort to temper her emotions that felt as though they were spiraling out of control along with her world. “And I won’t be able to rest until you are safely back with me where you belong.”

Richard leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead as his eyes felled closed. “You just worry about planning our wedding because as soon as this is over, I’m marrying you whether you like it or not, Kahlan Amnell.”

She chuckled softly with his threat as she buried herself against his muscular chest, her face nuzzling the crook of his neck as she inhaled deeply. “I think I’d like that very much,” she softly confessed. “I think I’ll like our wedding night even more.”

Richard groaned with the thought as well as the feel of her lips brushing against his throat. “I plan on making every single night together better than the last.”

“I’m holding you to that promise, Seeker.”

He tightened his hold on her, knowing he was probably crushing her, but he couldn’t help it. He honestly didn’t know if he was going to make it back to her or not, but he knew that he’d do whatever it took tonight to end this. If losing his life meant that Kahlan and his daughter could live without fear of being hunted by Demos, then he would gladly give it up.

“I have to leave now,” he whispered into her hair.

“I know,” she murmured, kissing him. “Be safe and come back to me.”

“Try to eat something and get some sleep tonight,” he told her. “I’ll be back when you wake up in the morning.”

“How can I eat or sleep knowing that you’re walking straight into the viper’s den?” she asked, pulling out of his hold on her and turning her back to him.

He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself as if trying to keep from falling apart, her shoulders slumped with the unspoken fear hanging thickly in the air between them. She knew that it would be nothing short of a miracle if he returned to her from this confrontation with Demos Rahl.

His heart broke all over again, wanting nothing more than to envelope her in his arms and hold her forever, to lay down in that bed with her and make love to her all night long, but he knew that he couldn’t. Not with Demos sitting at their doorstep, scheming to get his hands on Kahlan.  
 _“Tomorrow,”_ he reminded himself. Once this was over, he could spend every single day and night with her, never having to leave her ever again.

“I will come back to you, Kahlan,” he insisted, his voice thick with emotion.

“I know,” she softly murmured, her voice devoid of conviction as she fought back tears.

She knew that he was the Seeker, the most gifted man that she’d ever met. He was able to do things that never ceased to astound her, skilled in ways that no ordinary woods’ guide should be and yet he had an innate knowledge that he had been born with. He was meant for moments of confrontation like this, good versus evil, and he would win. She just had to cling to that belief now more than ever.

XXX

Richard closed the door to Kahlan’s suite to find Zedd already standing in the corridor waiting for him, a grim expression on his weathered face. His bony arms were crossed over his chest, his dark eyes holding more conflicting emotions than he had seen swimming there in a long time.

The Seeker sighed as he came to stand before his grandfather. “You don’t agree with the plan,” he said. It was more of a statement than a question as he stared at his grandfather.

“No, I don’t like it one bit,” Zedd groused. “I’m sure I won’t be able to talk you out of it, though.”

“You’re not the only one and no, you can’t stop me,” Richard evenly replied with a steel resolve as he turned and began to make his way down the hall.

“Kahlan doesn’t agree either, does she?” he guessed as he fell into step next to his grandson.

“No,” he stated. “She also wants to go along with me to stop Demos.”

Zedd couldn’t help but chuckle in response. “That’s our Kahlan. Seems she’s feeling better then?”

“Yes, and just as stubborn as ever,” Richard agreed with a grunt. “You have no idea how relieved I am that she’s finally recovering from this whole horrifying mess. I was worried that I’d never get her back.”

“Does she have all of her memories?”

“So far it seems, but we didn’t really talk about it much. I told her I was going after Demos and it pretty much went downhill after that.”

“I imagine so,” Zedd said with a nod of his head. “Well, it’s a good sign that she wants to go with you. It means our Kahlan has finally resurfaced once more.”

“I’m thankful for that, but she’s going to put me in an early grave if she constantly wants to risk her life while carrying our child.”

“I must agree that now is not the time for her to be rushing headlong into a battle especially when she’s carrying my great granddaughter.”

“I want you to stay with Kahlan, make sure that nothing happens to her while I’m gone,” Richard informed him. “I know she’s doing better, but I’m worried that being with child could cause some unforeseen complications. Not to mention, I don’t want any of Demos’s men to get to her before I get to him.”

“Demos hasn’t even attacked the city yet,” Zedd pointed out.

“I realize that, but there’s always the outside chance that he may have sent spies on ahead to infiltrate the city before his army arrived,” he told him. “I won’t take the chance that they may have been sent into the palace for Kahlan.”

“You know I’ll protect her with my life,” Zedd reassured him.

“I know, Zedd…thank you,” Richard murmured. “If for some reason I don’t make it back…” 

Richard paused in his step, unable to finish the sentence. It was too painful to think of never seeing Kahlan again, never being able to see his child being born. Zedd stopped as well, pulling his grandson into a fierce embrace.

“You will make it back my boy,” he told him.

“I know, but if I don’t.”

“I’ll take care of her and your daughter,” Zedd promised him. “Just make sure you come back, Richard. None of us can stand the thought of losing you.”

Richard felt tears prick his eyes, but he determinedly banished them as he pulled out of his grandfather’s embrace. “I have to end this, Zedd. We’ll never be free until Demos is in the Underworld with his brother Darken.”

“I know, my boy,” the old Wizard acknowledged with a weary sigh. “I still don’t like it. I just wish there was a better way of ridding the world of him without you being in the very thick of things.”

“If you have a better idea, I’m all ears, but I have to strike tonight before he does.”

Zedd slowly shook his head in thought. “I’m sorry, Richard. I see no way out of this without someone going into his camp and striking the first blow.”

“That’s what I think too,” the Seeker agreed. “Cut off the head and the rest will crumble.”

“Just be careful,” Zedd grimly warned him. “He wields very powerful, very deadly occult magic from the depths of the Underworld. You’re going to be going up against someone even worse than Darken Rahl ever dreamed he could be.”

Richard shook his head as a fierce scowl formed on his face. “Don’t worry, Zedd. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to stop him.”

“Just don’t do anything rash in order to stop him,” he replied. “If you find you can’t get to him, you get out of there. The world still needs the Seeker and we need you.”

“No, Zedd,” Richard adamantly stated. “I’m ending this tonight no matter what it takes. I finally have Kahlan back. I’m not going to risk losing her again.”

Zedd stared long and hard at his grandson, knowing it was pointless to try to convince him otherwise especially when it came to the matter of Kahlan. He placed his hand on his grandson’s shoulder and squeezed it, his words coming out more choked than he had wanted. “Go do what you need to do and get back here in one piece. You have a beautiful woman anxious to marry you and a daughter who is going to need her father.”

Richard swallowed the knot that had suddenly stuck in his throat as he nodded his head. “I will,” he murmured, turning away from him to find Cara and Nicci coming towards him.

“Let’s get this over with,” Cara scowled something dark and fierce as she approached them, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

“Don’t sound so excited, Cara,” Richard told her.

“There is nothing exciting about you throwing yourself right into the fire,” she snapped. “It would be far better to send the army out there to deal with Demos Rahl instead of you going out there and getting yourself killed.”

“It’s not that easy and you know it, Cara,” Richard ground out. “I have to face Demos myself or this will never truly be over.”

Cara snorted her disapproval. “Let one of us go in there and take him out instead.”

“This is between him and me,” Richard heatedly stated. “Kahlan and I are the reason that he is out there right now. I’m not sending anyone else out there to their death because of me.”

“That’s very noble of you, Richard,” Nicci calmly interjected. “We’ll be there with you to make sure that you return to Kahlan and your unborn child.”

“Thank you, Nicci,” he replied with a relieved nod of his head. “I really appreciate that. If you, Cara, and Jancy can keep everyone else away, I’ll take care of Demos.”

Cara rolled her eyes in frustration. “I still think this is ludicrous.”

“Then you can stay here with Zedd and Kahlan,” the Seeker shot back, his patience running thin. “Either way, I’m taking him out tonight. I will not go another day living like this, wondering when he’ll strike or what he’ll do next to Kahlan. I will not keep living like this especially now with a child on the way.”

“I’m going with you,” Cara hissed. “I’m not about to let you get yourself killed. I’ll never hear the end of Kahlan’s constant sobbing if you don’t come back.”

Richard couldn’t help but give the Mord’Sith a lop-sided smile, knowing that it was her way of showing that she actually cared about him. “I appreciate that. Now, let’s get this over with so I can come back and marry Kahlan.”

“Jancy is all ready to lead us out through the secret passage under the city,” Nicci informed him.

“Then let’s do this,” Richard stated, leading the way.

XXX

Nearing the entrance of the tunnel that would lead them outside beyond Aydindril’s walls had taken longer than Richard had hoped, but they were finally here. Now, they just had to sneak into Demos’s camp without being caught.

Richard felt his heart beat a little harder in eager anticipation, knowing that he was that much closer to Demos and stopping him for good. His hand instinctively moved to grip the hilt of his sword, his raptor gaze narrowing as he peered out into the darkness of night, the only illumination coming from the moon partially obscured by cloud cover.

It, along with Nicci’s powerful magic, would obscure their presence long enough for him to make his move. He had to admit this was a far better plan than him just surrendering himself and hoping he got an opportunity to eliminate his brother.

“Now, stay close to me,” Nicci softly instructed the others. “I’ll use my magic to conceal our presence, but if you wander too far away from me, you’ll be outside the boundaries of my spell.”

“We need to strike fast and hard,” Jancy added. “Once they discover that Lord Rahl is dead, all hell will break loose. I’d much rather be back behind the walls of Aydindril when that happens.”

“Agreed,” Richard replied with a slight nod.

The air was relatively cool for this time of year, but it was the images of what Demos would do to Kahlan if he failed tonight that caused an icy shiver to race through him, the fine hairs prickling on the back of his neck as dread swelled inside of him. He would never be able to live with himself if he allowed anything to happen to her. He could not fail her tonight.

He carried her in his heart just as she carried a piece of him inside of her…inside her womb where their baby grew. The thought warmed him clear to his toes as they worked their way through the trees, trying to determine where Demos’s tent was among the mass of tents that had taken up residence outside Aydindril’s walls.

“Which tent will Demos most likely be in?” Richard asked.

“He’ll probably be towards the back,” Cara informed them. “Lower ranking soldiers will be in the front, the higher ranking D’Haran soldiers behind them, and then the Dragon Corp will be last. They’ll also be closest to the Lord Rahl in order to protect him as well as any Mord’Sith that he brought with him.”

“So his tent will be in the back,” Jancy confirmed.

“And it will be the biggest…the most extravagant,” Cara added. “There’ll be no mistaking it when we see it. We’ll need to move fast.”

“I’ll go in after him while you three cover me in case we’re discovered,” Richard said.

“And how do you plan on us getting out of there if the whole D’Haran army comes down on us?” Cara demanded to know as they inched deeper into the woods and further away from the safety of Aydindril.

“We’ll have to cross that bridge if we come to it,” Richard grimly replied.

“We can’t let it come to that,” Nicci firmly stated.

“There it is,” Jancy muttered, pointing in the direction of a large red tent that sat away from the others, a warm glow of candle light coming it.

Richard’s eyes grew darker as he stared at the tent in the distance, knowing that the time had finally come. Demos was about to feel the deadly heat of his wrath. He was going to find himself reunited with his twin brother before the night was over.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 25

Richard stayed low behind some overgrowth that lined the woods; his raptor gaze locked on the large red tent that stood out and away from the others. It glowed from the inside, shadows moving inside against the side of the tent telling him that someone was in there.

His heart began to race in anticipation of the fight that was coming. He was growing desperate to finally end this, eliminating Demos from their lives forever. The thought brought him a measure of peace that he’d been lacking since this whole mess had started.

He just wanted to get this over with so he could get back to Kahlan and begin their lives together.

He felt a sudden hand on his shoulder, knowing without turning around that it was Cara. “You realize when this is over you’ll need to go to D’Hara to claim the throne, right?”

Richard cursed silently to himself. “Can I please I just take care of one catastrophe at a time?” he softly growled.

“I’m just saying that you’re going to have to do something about it,” Cara maintained.

“I don’t want to be Lord Rahl, Cara,” he insisted. “I just want to marry Kahlan and have a family with her. Nothing more.”

“Like you’re going to be able to escape your responsibilities,” Cara replied with a frown. “I hate to tell you, but you’re the next Lord Rahl whether you accept it or not.”

“Can we have this argument some other time instead of right before I have to take out my brother?” he hissed.

“I was just trying to get your mind on other things so you wouldn’t be so tense,” the Mord’Sith smirked at him.

“It’s not working,” he bit out in frustration. “Let’s just get this over with so we can get out of here before we’re discovered. We need to keep the element of surprise or we’ll never make it out there alive.”

“Just be careful,” Cara scowled darkly at him from behind. “Don’t make me take your dead body back to Kahlan. I’ll never hear the end of her sobbing.”

“Don’t worry about me,” the Seeker evenly stated as he slowly drew his sword. “I’ll be fine.”

“Remember, no one is getting left behind no matter what happens in there,” Nicci said. “We go in there together and we leave together.”

“We need to keep this as quiet as possible,” Jancy added, casting a sidelong glance at Sister Nicci beside him. “We don’t want to draw any unwanted attention or we’ll have the whole D’Haran army coming down on us.”

“I thought the Aydindril army was prepared to intervene if necessary,” Cara stated with a frown.

“No,” Jancy replied with a shake of his head. “I’m not going to let them intervene. We’re on our own out here. I gave the order that protecting Aydindril and the Mother Confessor was their prime concern.”

“And who decide that?” Cara demanded to know.

“I did,” Richard interjected as they began to make their way across the grassy plains. “Protecting Aydindril and Kahlan comes first. She’s the last Confessor and she’s carrying my child. I’m not going to risk their safety.”

“And I agreed it was the best decision,” Jancy interjected.

Nicci glanced at him, a wave of admiration washing over her as she studied his handsome profile. He was certainly brave knowing they were walking into the heart of the enemy camp. Richard was gifted and cared the magical Sword of Truth, Cara her deadly agiels, and she of course possessed very powerful magic, but this man next to her had nothing but an ordinary sword made of steel and a warrior’s courage.

She decided it made him even more attractive to her than she had first thought, not just his outward appearance, but the inside as well. She just hoped that she’d have the opportunity to get to know him even better once this was all over with.

“Taking Demos is our first objective,” Jancy stated, trying not to allow Nicci’s close proximity to distract him from his mission. “Anyone else we can take out will just be an added bonus.”

“Demos Rahl is all mine,” Richard growled.

No one spoke any more as they stealthily crept through the darkness of night. The air was thick with the tension that was felt by all four of them as well as the steadily growing sounds of screams mingled with passionate moans.

It didn’t take long for all of them to deduce what Demos Rahl was doing tonight. It caused rage like pure fire to sear through the Seeker’s veins as they inched their way closer. He was treating women like nothing more than animals meant to serve and pleasure him. It made him ill to his core knowing Kahlan was next on his list to bed.

They moved as one, a dark shadow on the grassy plain intent on the mission at hand. They each knew their jobs and were more than prepared to see it through to the very end…whatever that end may be.

As they grew closer to their target, the cries of pain mingled with Demos’s growls of pleasure grew louder. It made Richard want to vomit, but he swallowed hard in an effort to channel his rage and disgust into ending his brother and protecting Kahlan from ever being forced to endure such atrocities.

He ground his teeth, the death grip he held on his sword causing his knuckles to turn white and ache. His heart was beating hard against his ribcage; pounding harder with every single step he took in an effort to end this.

Just then, Demos’s voice abruptly cut through the night and sliced like a dagger through his soul. “Yes…yes!” Demos cried something vile and lustful. “Give me more, Kahlan…yes!”

Richard suddenly seethed with a white-hot fury he’d never felt before, his blood pounding in his ears. He knew Demos couldn’t have Kahlan there with him now in that tent. She was safe in the Confessor’s Palace with Zedd. Just knowing he was using women like this to fulfill his sick desires, pretending they were her caused his rage to explode inside of him.

Richard took off across the field, racing to meet his brother head on. He heard Cara softly hiss his name through the stillness of night from behind him, but he ignored her as he flew like a deadly arrow towards its destination. 

His head hammered in time with the beat of his boots against the ground, with the fury pulsating hotly through him. His eyes were locked on Demos’s tent, his mind focused to a razor-sharp edge in preparation of the battle that lay waiting for him now. The sounds that cut through the night echoed in his ears and pierced his heart with blinding pain as Demos screamed Kahlan’s name again.

The righteous rage of the magical weapon gripped tightly in his hand inundated him, flooding his system and infusing him with the skill and knowledge of all the Seekers who had come before him. Nothing would stand in the way of what he wanted—Demos’s blood coating his blade.

He swiftly scanned the area, finding it strangely devoid of any D’Harans, no First File or Mord’Sith standing guard by their Lord Rahl’s tent. It caused the fine hairs on his neck and arms to rise, the gruesome screams coming from the tent causing an icy chill to race through him. It was unlike anything he’d ever heard before. 

What in spirits was he doing to these women in order to satisfy his sick sadistic desires?

He was almost afraid to find out but he needed to save these women and therefore Kahlan by stopping Demos. He could feel the other three coming up behind him, spreading out to cover him and intercept any incoming interference.

He had insisted on facing Demos by himself much to Cara’s consternation. He knew it was only because she cared so much about them, but he needed to do this alone. This was between him and his brother and he was going to be the one to send him to the Keeper.

Darken Rahl was going to get quite the surprise meeting when his twin Demos unexpectedly appeared in the Underworld. It put a small, satisfied smile on his face just thinking about it as he leapt over a tree limb, his chest heaving with the emotions churning deep inside of him.

Approaching the tent, the night grew deathly quiet save for his own heavy breathing and the sounds of someone moving inside the tent. He crept closer, trying to control the anger thrumming through his veins and threatening to steal his sanity.

He paused outside of the tent, closing his eyes for a moment as the others spread out around him. He carefully stepped silently to the tent flap opening, using the tip of his sword to move it aside to peer inside with bated breath.

Richard watched as Demos pulled his pants up, his skin slick with sweat, his wet hair clinging to his back. Lying on the ground was a naked woman—a Mord’Sith he guessed by the tight severe style of her long braided dark hair. She was covered in bruises and bite marks, blood streaking her skin and coating her inner thighs. It caused his heart to nearly stop beating in his chest, her resemblance to Kahlan eerie.

There was a second woman lying naked on a large cot, her head at an odd angle telling him that Demos had broken her neck in the midst of his passion. He wanted to vomit right there, but swallowed down the bile that had risen in the back of his throat.

Sensing someone’s presence behind him, Demos Rahl looked over his shoulder to find his brother peering in the entrance. A wide smile slowly broke across his face as he turned to face the Seeker, crossing his arms over his chest riddled with scratches.

“Nice of you to come visit me,” Demos greeted him, not the least bit troubled by the fact he had no weapon in hand. “I do hope you brought Kahlan with you. As you can see, I’m rather anxious to see her again.”

Richard clenched his jaw as he stepped inside the enormous tent with his brother, knowing how dangerous Demos truly was despite not holding any weapons in his hands. “I’m not about to let you get your hands on her.”

Demos’s head fell back, deep rolling laughter escaping his lips. “You really think you’re going to be able to stop me?”

“I know I am,” Richard growled, a slight curl to the corners of his mouth as he took a step closer.

Demos raised his hand, his palm facing his brother in warning. “That’s close enough.”

“Scared?” the Seeker asked with a tilt of his head, his sword’s blade pointed at Demos.

“Of you?” Demos laughed again. “Hardly. I’d just like to keep a little distance between us so I can watch you burn when I unleash my magic on you.”

“I thought you’d like to keep me alive to torment me,” Richard shot back, taking another step closer. “Force me to watch while you do to Kahlan what you did to these poor women.”

A wicked smirk formed on Demos’s face, his eyes gleaming even darker. “Don’t think that I haven’t dreamed of that moment, reenacted it every night since you and Kahlan escaped the People’s Palace. Now, I’m beginning to think it better to just be rid of you.”

“I plan on making it very difficult for you,” Richard shot back, readjusting his grip on the hilt of his sword.

Sweat beaded on his brow and trickled down his back as he stared down his brother knowing the moment had finally come. A soft groan came from the woman lying on the ground, momentarily pulling Demos’s attention away from him.

Richard took the opportunity, lunging at him with his sword and nearly removing his head from his shoulders. Unfortunately, Demos turned back at the last moment, ducking and missing the Seeker’s attack. He dove out of the way, rolling and coming up on the balls of his feet.

Demos grinned broadly as he crouched low to the ground. “I’ve been anxious for this moment…brother against brother, fighting over the woman we both want.”

“I’m more than ready to end you,” Richard ground out. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you away from Kahlan.”

“You will be dead and Kahlan will be mine,” Demos countered as he rose up to his full height, his gaze falling to the woman lying at his feet. “This…this is nothing compared to what I have planned for my precious Kahlan.”

“She is not yours!” Richard roared, taking a step closer. “Kahlan is mine and she is carrying my child.”

Dark rage like a violent thunderstorm rolled across his face as he began to tremble, his chest beginning to heave. “She will not be with child for long once I have her,” he bit out with a deadly calm. “I will destroy you and your child…open Kahlan’s womb and plant my seed inside of her. She will know no other man but me from now on.”

“Over my dead body,” Richard growled as he suddenly attacked with a ferocious vengeance.

His blade began to glow with his fury, the thought of this man touching Kahlan…hurting her in such a depraved way or taking away their unborn baby nearly rent him in two. He swung his sword, slicing through Demos’s upper leg clear to the bone.

Demos screamed in rage as he immediately moved to cover his injured leg, a sneer on his lips. “You will pay dearly for this brother.”

Raising his other hand, Demos called upon the dark occult magic of the Underworld, wielding its power with deadly precision. His fingers glowed and crackled like lightning, shooting forth like a bolt and striking Richard in the arm.

His skin burned like fire, Richard crying out in pain. He gritted his teeth, doing his best to ignore the burning and stench of flesh. He quickly moved his sword, blocking another shot of magic, pushing his way forward in an effort to get to him.

He could feel warm blood oozing down his arm as he clenched his jaw tightly, putting every bit of strength he could muster into holding back the intense magic that threatened to overwhelm him. He couldn’t let Demos win. 

Richard could feel his brother’s dark magic begin to push him back, his sword starting to waver under the violent assault. He momentarily glanced at the Mord’Sith lying broken on the ground, imaging it was Kahlan. With a roar of pure wrath, he pushed back with his sword, causing the magic to ricochet back towards Demos.

Rahl screamed in shock and pain, his fingers badly burned by the backlash of magic. Raw hatred teemed deep within his dark soul like a deadly virus eating him alive and shining in his eyes. It was as if Richard was staring at the Keeper himself in that horrifying moment. He was the embodiment of pure evil.

Richard dove at him with his sword, slicing through his abdomen as Demos lunged for a dagger lying on a nearby table. “There is no escape for you this time, Demos,” Richard panted heavily as he stared down at his brother lying on the ground. “I’m going to make sure that not even the breath of life will save you this time.”

“Think again, brother,” Demos sneered as he slyly pulled a small dagger from inside of his boot, throwing it directly at the Seeker.

The small dagger buried in Richard’s chest, nearly causing him to drop his sword. He quickly pulled it from his chest, ignoring the blood oozing from the deadly wound. He threw his sword, slicing straight into Demos’s chest.

Richard dropped to his knees as he stared at Demos, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as the life quickly drained from his body. “You will never touch Kahlan,” the Seeker ground out, feeling his own life beginning to slip away.

“Neither will you, brother,” Demos mocked as he noticed Richard losing the battle as well.

“I don’t care…as long Kahlan…is safe from you,” Richard managed to utter. “I will gladly…sacrifice my life for her.”

“Richard!” Nicci cried as she raced into the tent, rushing to his side.

Richard smiled at Demos. “Give Darken my best.”

Demos glowered as his eyes Nicci released a blast of magic, leaving him nothing but a burnt corpse. Richard released a ragged breath, pain searing through him with the effort. The world began to spin as his vision tunneled to pinpoints. He could feel hands grabbing hold of him on both sides, lifting him up…and then nothing.

XXX

Kahlan could not stop pacing, biting her bottom lip as her hand rubbed her flat abdomen. She couldn’t begin to keep from worrying, couldn’t eat or sleep. She could feel Zedd’s steady gaze on her, but she ignored him. She didn’t feel like talking right now. All she wanted was Richard safely with her.

“Kahlan,” Zedd gently called to her. “You’re going to wear yourself out with all this pacing. You really need to rest right now especially after everything that you’ve been through. You’re still recovering.”

“I can’t, Zedd,” she replied with a firm shake of her head. “I’m too worried about Richard. I’ll rest once he’s back here with me.”

Zedd drew a weary breath, getting to his feet as well to make his way over to her. Coming to stand before her, he took her hands in his. “Kahlan, he loves you too much not to make every effort to come back to you. Besides, Jancy, Cara, and Nicci are with him. They will make sure that he comes back.”

“I hope so,” she murmured as she averted her eyes, fighting back unwanted tears. She didn’t want to cry, had shed far too many tears as of late, but this baby growing within her was already beginning to wreak havoc with her hormones. “I can’t lose him now, not after everything we’ve been through.”

“How much do you remember?” Zedd asked. He hadn’t wanted to press her about it yet, but he needed to know how much damage still remained from Demos’s spell.

“I think remember everything that happened up to the point where Demos sent his First File to kidnap Richard,” she thoughtfully began, pursing her lips as she hooked a raven lock of hair behind her ear. “After that, there are some holes in my memory of what happened after that. I remember some things and then other things are like trying to look through frosted glass.”

“To tell you the truth, that is better than I had expected,” Zedd confessed, squeezing her hands. “I had feared that you wouldn’t be able to remember much of anything. It was a very tricky spell to remove, one that had been layered deep into your mind.”

“I can’t thank you and Nicci enough,” Kahlan replied, her eyes moist with tears. “If it weren’t for the two of you…”

“Nonsense, my dear,” Zedd responded. “There is nothing to thank us for. We’re just so happy that you and the baby are safe. Once Richard is back, we can finally have that wedding.”

“There is nothing I want more than to marry Richard and have our baby,” she confessed.

“Speaking of which, you need to eat,” Zedd chided her. “You didn’t eat hardly anything since Richard and the others left. You’re eating for two now, you know.”

“I know,” she sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I just don’t feel like it right now.”

Zedd frowned as he studied her. “Does your head still hurt?”

“Some,” she informed him, forcing a small smile.

“Do you want me to take care of it for you?” he asked.

“No,” she insisted. “I’ll feel better once I know Richard is safe.”

“Won’t you at least lie down and rest for a little bit?” Zedd tried again. “I promise to wake you just as soon as they return.”

“No, I can’t,” she maintained as she started pacing again. “They’ve been gone for hours, Zedd. It’s going to be dawn soon. They should be back by now.”

Just then, the door opened to the Confessor’s private suite, Jancy and Cara each under one of Richard’s arms as they helped him inside. “Richard!” Kahlan cried as she raced towards him, tears instantly filling her eyes.

“I’m alright,” he weakly attempted to reassure her, his eyes barely open.

“No, he is not alright,” Cara snapped as she helped Jancy get him across the receiving room and into Kahlan’s bedchamber. “He nearly got himself killed.”

“It’s not that bad,” Richard amended as they got him settled in bed, groaning with the movement.

“Yes, it was that bad,” Nicci stated as she immediately went to his side. “If I hadn’t gone in to check on you, you would’ve been dead and there would have been little I could have done to save you.”

Kahlan swiftly went to the other side of the bed, leaning over and capturing Richard’s hand as she settled on the bed beside him. Tears dripped down her cheeks and chin as she noticed how pale his face was, the blood that stained his shirt.

Richard squeezed her hand as he looked up into her beautiful face. “I’m fine, Kahlan,” he gently said, his hand pulling free from hers to cup the side of her face. “Demos is dead and we can finally get married.”

“He’s dead?” she whispered, afraid to hope it was true.

“Yes, he can’t hurt us anymore,” he promised her. “Nicci made it so that not even the breath of life can save him now.”

“Lie still,” Nicci ordered as she stretched her hands out over his chest. “You still have extensive damage that I need to repair. You lost a lot of blood. You’re going to need to rest.”

“I will make sure that he stays right here and rests,” Kahlan told her, her hand moving to cover his on the side of her face.

“Were you able to take anymore of Demos’s men out?” Richard asked, trying to lift his head to look at Jancy and Cara standing with Zedd at the foot of the bed.

“Some, but not many,” Jancy admitted. “We would’ve liked to have caused more damage, but we couldn’t without alerting the whole army to our presence.”

“We were able to destroy some of their supplies,” Cara revealed.

“I thought I saw a lot of flames when we made our way back into the woods,” Richard replied. “Thank you for helping me stop Demos. Hopefully now that he is dead and their Lord Rahl is no more, the army will pull out and head back to D’Hara.”

“We can only hope,” Jancy agreed. “It was an honor to work with the Seeker. I must go check on my men and get report now.”

“Thank you, General,” Richard replied with a faint smile.

“I will come back to check on you and give a full report,” Jancy said as he began to turn to leave, his gaze lingering on Nicci before exiting the bedchamber.

Cara smirked as she glanced at Nicci, noticing the slight blush that suffused her cheeks in that moment. “I think someone is sweet on you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nicci murmured, her forehead creasing with concentration as she finished healing the Seeker’s wounds.

“Right,” Cara snorted in amusement as she placed her hands on her hips. “You don’t notice the way he looks at you or the way he lingers when he’s near you?”

“I haven’t noticed anything,” Nicci lied, lowering her head in embarrassment. “Alright, I’ve healed your injuries, but you’ve lost a lot of blood. You’re going to need rest for a couple of days.”

“Let’s leave him to rest now,” Zedd suggested. “I think Kahlan will keep a careful eye on him. Come get us if you need anything, Kahlan.”

“I will,” Kahlan murmured. “Thank you for saving him, Nicci.”

“My pleasure,” she replied with a smile as she turned to leave with the others, allowing Kahlan and Richard to be alone.

Kahlan moved to remove Richard’s ruined shirt, tossing it onto the floor before removing the rest of his clothes. Once he was fully undressed, she got a bowl of warm water and a cloth, sitting down on the edge of the bed to begin washing away the dirt and sweat from his body.

Richard stared up into her beautiful face, watching her as she worked before finally responding. “Kahlan, you really don’t have to do this.”

“I want to,” she softly insisted. “You took care of me and now I take care of you.”

He smiled gently, finding it difficult to keep his eyes open. Demos was dead and they could finally live their lives in peace, live without fear of him interfering ever again. Kahlan and their baby were both safe now. Nothing else mattered to him but that.

“I’ll always take care of you, Kahlan,” he murmured as his hand slipped up to caress her cheek, desperate to be skin against skin with her once more. “Please, lie down with me. I just want to hold you now.”

Kahlan set the bowl and cloth aside, slipping out of her clothes and boots before crawling into the bed next to him under the covers. She wrapped her arms around him, careful of his newly healed wounds as Richard held her against him. She leaned in and kissed him slowly, overcome with relief.

“I love you, Richard,” she whispered as she settled against him.

“And I love you, Kahlan,” he replied as sleep quickly claimed them both.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 26

Demos growled to himself as he looked at his new surroundings, furious that he was now trapped in the Underworld. He had so many plans and dreams yet to accomplish, a Confessor to enslave and bed. It wasn’t supposed to have ended this way.

“NO!” he roared as his head fell back in rage.

He turned in tight circles, desperate to find a way of escape. No matter how long it took, he would find a way out of here. Nothing would keep him prisoner here, not even death itself.

“Well, hello, brother,” a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, “we finally meet face to face.”

Turning, Demos found someone looked identical to himself walking towards him, a wide smirk on his face. It was his twin, Darken Rahl. “This was not my plan,” he ground out with a sneer.

Darken chuckled softly as he came to a stop before him, his hand moving to stroke his goatee. “Obviously and yet here you are,” he shot back. “You should have listened to me.”

“I bow to no one’s whims, not you and not the Keeper,” Demos retorted.

A wicked smile spread across Darken’s face, his eyes growing even darker if that was possible. “Well, it seems now you will have no choice but to endure whatever it is we decide to do with you…for all eternity.”

Demos visibly blanched with his brother’s words as Darken slowly closed the distance between them, a sick sadistic smirk on his face.

XXX

Richard drew a deep breath as he gazed at the image staring back at him in the mirror. He barely recognized the man looking back at him, the handsomely tailored navy blue coat paired with black fitted pants and shiny black boots, the gold buttons matching the shiny scabbard hanging at his hip. It looked so unlike him and yet it had been made specifically for him…for this day.

So much had happened since the first moment that he had spotted a mysterious young woman dressed in white with long raven hair running through his woods, since the first moment he was bestowed the title of Seeker of Truth and given the sword that would transform his life forever. He had changed in so many ways, grown and matured, had his heart broken with his father’s death only to have it healed with the deep love that he felt for his Confessor.

Something that was supposedly forbidden, something that he was told was nothing more than a hopeless dream had become a sweet reality. He was marrying his beloved Confessor today, a baby girl arriving in another eight months. 

The thought alone put a large grin on his face and an unexpected flutter in the pit of his stomach. It had only been a week ago that he had killed his wicked brother Demos, freeing them from his obsession and yet it felt like a lifetime ago. The D’Haran army had quickly withdrawn right after that, thankfully retreating back to D’Hara without even a fight.

He had been more than a little relieved it hadn’t turned into a bloody, drawn-out battle between territories. He just wanted to put it all in the past and leave it there, moving forward and enjoying the hard fought-for peace that now awaited them as well as the birth of their daughter.

It was still months away, but he couldn’t help the overwhelming excitement and happiness that bubbled up within him every time his mind drifted to his unborn daughter. He and Kahlan had made a baby, created out of their intimate demonstration of love for one another. They were going to be parents. It still seemed so surreal to him, a magical dream that he hoped he never woke from if it wasn’t real.

Richard nervously adjusted the standup collar on his coat, smoothing the front of it with his hands. He turned at the sound of the door opening to his room that was situated down the hall from Kahlan’s. Zedd poked his head into the room, a proud grin on his weathered face.

His grandfather had been the one who had insisted that Richard sleep in a separate room down the hall from Kahlan the night before their wedding. The Seeker had very grudgingly agreed to go along with it, knowing that after today he was never spending another night away from her ever again for as long as there was breath in his body.

“Are you ready to go, my boy?” the Wizard asked.

“I’ve been ready for a very long time,” he replied.

“I know you have,” Zedd told him as he entered the room. “How are you feeling?”

“Nervous,” Richard admitted with a sigh as he shook his head. “I don’t know why, though. I’m marrying the most amazing woman I have ever met…the one I love more than anything. It’s what I’ve always wanted and now that it’s finally happening, I’m so nervous.”

Zedd chuckled knowingly as he clapped his grandson affectionately on the back. “Richard, you have described every single groom just before a wedding since the beginning of time.”

Richard looked at him in stunned disbelief. “Really?”

“Most definitely,” Zedd reassured him, wrapping his arm around him from the side and hugging him. “You aren’t alone in feeling like this. You’re actually doing far better than I did on my wedding day. I was an absolute mess before I married your grandmother.”

“I just love her so much, Zedd. I’ve never felt this way before about a woman,” Richard confessed, raking his fingers back through his chestnuts locks. “I’m afraid I won’t be a good husband to Kahlan or father to our daughter. What if I mess this up?”

“Rest assured, my boy, you will be a great husband and father,” Zedd told him. “The fact that you’re so worried about it is proof enough that you will do everything you can to be what Kahlan and your child needs…or should I say children.”

Richard’s head was suddenly spinning with his grandfather’s words, his heart pounding as realization washed over him. “What? Is Kahlan having twins?”

Zedd nodded his head in confirmation, a huge grin spreading across his face. “I confirmed it myself this morning.”

The Seeker’s jaw dropped with the revelation, doing his best to make his tongue move in his mouth. “Is Kahlan alright? Does she know?”

“Yes, Kahlan is fine,” he explained. “She had some pretty bad morning sickness when she woke up this morning so I made some herbal tea for her. I checked to see how my great granddaughter was doing only to find two little life signs in Kahlan’s womb.”

“Why didn’t you notice it before?”

“It was too early yet,” he clarified. “Sometimes a second life sign doesn’t show until later.”

“And you’re sure that Kahlan is alright?” he asked again, wishing more than anything that he could see her now.

“She’s doing better thanks to the tea,” he confirmed. “She wanted to tell you the news herself, but she wanted you to know about it before the wedding so she asked me to tell you.”

Richard looked to the open door of his room, his pulse racing. “I want to see her…now.”

“You will,” he replied. “Let’s go get you two married so we can celebrate with a feast. Then you can see her all you want.”

Richard followed his grandfather out, more than anxious to see Kahlan, to kiss her breathless and hold her close, to share with her the excitement that they were going to have twins. He felt like he was walking on air as he walked out into the private Confessor’s garden with his grandfather, a sudden thought hitting him like a ton of bricks.

He quickly reached out a hand, grabbing hold of Zedd’s sleeve and pulling him to a stop. “Wait,” he said. “Are they both girls?”

“I think I’m going to let Kahlan be the one to tell you that,” Zedd informed him. “I don’t want to steal all of her exciting news.”

Richard groaned as he began to follow his grandfather again. “Zedd, I want to know. Am I having two girls or a boy and a girl?”

“My lips are sealed, my boy,” Zedd said with a chuckle. “Now, stand right here and wait for your bride.”

He obeyed with a frown, more than desperate to not only see Kahlan, but to talk to her. He turned to stand beside his grandfather, clasping his hands before him as Cara appeared in the garden followed by Nicci walking beside General Jancy. 

It put a smile on the Seeker’s face to see the pair growing closer by the day. Though he hadn’t known him for long, Richard had asked Jancy to stand with him at his wedding. He had proven to be a good friend to them already, helping to watch over Kahlan before he had arrived and then with helping him get into the D’Haran camp to eliminate Demos.

He had a feeling that Jancy would not only become a very close friend, but much more to Nicci. Seeing how happy she was as she approached with him warmed his heart. He was so happy that Nicci was finally able to have the life that she deserved more than anyone he knew.

Jancy came to stand to Richard’s left, nodding to the groom as Cara and Nicci moved to stand off to the side by Zedd, leaving room for the one person they were still missing. It was at that moment that Kahlan entered the private garden, causing everyone to turn to stare at her.

Richard felt as though time had ground to a halt, everyone around him fading away into the background as Kahlan walked towards him. His breath caught in his chest at the sight of her, her beauty mesmerizing him but even more so knowing she was carrying his children inside of her.

She was wearing a strapless dress that was the color of champagne, a bouquet of pink flowers in her hand and her special smile saved only for him on her lips. He ached to go to her, to meet her halfway and kiss her right there in front of everyone, but he held himself back.

Her bright sapphires were locked solely on him and no one else. There was a glow about her that seemed to emit from somewhere deep within. Whether it was the result of the children she carried within her, the love they shared or the happiness of the moment he didn’t know, but it didn’t matter. She was positively radiant and she was all his.

As she came to stand before him, Richard knew in that moment that this was something that he was never going to forget for as long as he lived. Without thinking, he reached out and took her free hand in his, his thumb brushing against the back of it.

“You look…so beautiful,” he managed to choke out in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

“Thank you,” she softly replied. “You look very handsome yourself.”

Richard responded with a grin, her compliment causing his heart to skip a beat. What she thought of him meant everything to him. They turned to face Zedd who was more than ready to say the words over them that would forever bind them as one. They both listened to the words that the Wizard was speaking over them and yet their attention was solely focused on one another.

It wasn’t until Zedd told him that he could kiss his bride that Richard finally breathed again or at least that’s the way it felt. His hand moved to caress her cheek as he leaned in to kiss her sweetly on the lips. Kissing her here…now…was like kissing her again for the very first time in the woods that night when he had woken her from that nightmare.

He had wanted to be with her so badly then, but even more so over time since then as his love for her had only continue to grow and deepen. It had expanded beyond anything that he had ever known, had ever felt before.

He just wanted to be alone with her now, but he knew that he’d have to wait until later. The anticipation of making love to Kahlan for the first time as her husband was driving him crazy with a desire that only she could ever satisfy.

He rested his forehead against hers, just savoring these first few moments as husband and wife. “We did it,” she murmured with a smile as she touched his cheek. “You never once lost faith that we would someday be here like this.”

“Nothing was going to keep me from you, Kahlan,” he replied, his lips finding hers again in a passionate kiss.

It was Zedd clearing his throat that finally broke the lover’s heated kiss. They turned to look at the Wizard who was smiling knowingly at them. “There’s plenty of time for that later. Let’s eat. I’m famished.”

Richard shook his head in amusement. “Go on ahead. Kahlan and I will be along shortly.”

“Don’t take too long,” Cara groused. “I don’t want to have to prod you two apart with my agiels.”

“We’ll be right there…I promise,” Richard swore, turning his attention back to his new wife as everyone left them to the waiting feast in the Confessor’s private dining hall.

Richard’s mouth swiftly captured hers in a kiss that rapidly stole their breath away, finally breaking the connection for much needed air. “We’re having twins, Kahlan.” It was more of a statement of awe and wonder than a question requiring confirmation. “I can hardly believe it’s true.”

“I thought that you might be worried about it,” she confessed, nervously biting at her bottom lip. “I know you thought we were only having one baby which is scary enough becoming parents for the first time, but now we’re having twins and I understand—”

Kahlan was abruptly silenced by his mouth clamping down over hers, his tongue teasing and caressing hers before being forced apart once more. “Kahlan, I’m so thrilled I don’t know how I’m going to be able to wait eight more months to see them,” he told her, breathing heavily as he held her close to him. “You have made me the happiest man in the whole world. You’re my life, Kahlan…you and these babies that we created. I can’t even…”

His voice abruptly broke off as tears pricked his eyes. Kahlan leaned in and kissed him softly. “You are going to be the most amazing father, Richard. I’ve always known it. I’m just so happy that you’re the father of my children. I had been so afraid that I would be forced to take a man I did not love in order to carry on the line of Confessors, but instead of a mate, I have you…a lover…a real husband.”

“You will never have any other man but me, Kahlan,” he adamantly told her, his somber expression becoming excited once more. “Zedd said that he knew what we were having, but he wouldn’t tell me. He said that you should be the one to tell me what our twins are going to be.”

His special smile played on her lips, her blue eyes sparkling so brightly as she caressed his jaw. “We’re having two little girls,” she revealed, averting her gaze in regret. “I just wish that I could give you a son, but the risk is so great if we ever have a son.”

“I don’t have to have a son to be happy, Kahlan,” he reassured her. “I will love every single one of our children no matter if they’re all girls or not. And if we do have a son someday, we will keep him. We will raise him and teach him how to control his emotions and his magic and we will love him just as much as our other children.”

Kahlan drew a long breath, releasing it slowly as she nodded her head in agreement. “We should probably join the others before they come looking for us.”

“As soon as this is over, I am taking you back to our suite and I’m going to make love to you all night long,” he told her, kissing her once more.

“I’m holding you to that, husband,” she teased him, allowing him to take her hand to lead her to the others.

XXX

Kahlan stood staring into the crackling fire her arms folded against her abdomen as she thought back on the wedding this afternoon, the wonderful reception afterwards. It had been a dream come true for her, one that she had feared for so long never having—a life with Richard.

She quickly lost herself to her thoughts as she stared at the dancing orange flames before her. She had secretly longed to fall in love with a man instead of being forced to take a mate like all the Confessors before her.

Instead, she had found the other half of her soul in Richard, the one who made her whole. She’d never known that love could be like this and now she had it with the most amazing man she had ever met. It made her heart swell just thinking about it.

Her lips curled at the feel of strong masculine arms suddenly slipping around her waist, warm lips brushing against her cheek. “What are you thinking about?” Richard murmured as he pulled her back against his chest, burying his face in her neck.

“Just thinking that I was missing you,” she replied as she leaned her head back against his shoulder, her hands coming to rest on top of his arms and keeping him where she wanted him.

“That’s good,” he muttered against her throat as he brushed her long raven curls aside, “because I missed you too. Even though you look positively stunning in that dress, I have been dying to get you out of it all evening.” 

Kahlan shivered as he placed soft kisses over her skin, creating a heated trail along her shoulder as his hands gently caressed her abdomen where their unborn children grew. He wished their daughters knew that he was there now and would be there for them always, wanted them to know how deeply he loved their mother and already loved them as well.

His heart began to pound a little harder as she tilted her head to the side, offering more of herself to him. He found the ribbon circling her waist, his fingers pulling it free and allowing it to drop to the floor as he continued to kiss her throat.

His fingers trailed up her body before slipping around to the back of her dress, more than anxious to feel her soft frame pressed against his. He quickly unlaced the bodice, her dress loosening and slipping away from her body before crumpling to the ground leaving her nude before him and the fire.

Richard pulled back long enough to shed his shirt and boots before pressing himself against her back once more. One hand began to pull the ribbons and small flowers from her intricate hairdo as his arm wrapped around her, his other hand cupping her breast. She leaned her head back against him again, her breath already quickening as he rolled her nipple, teasing and twisting it as his mouth began to devour her throat.

She was panting heavily as he continued to stimulate her, exciting her body like only he could. She reached her hands up behind her, her slender fingers threading through his chestnut strands and holding him to her. 

Her raven curls finally tumbled free, falling down around her face. He raked his fingers through her luscious hair that he loved. He’d always adored her hair, anxious for the day when he could freely touch it as he pleased.

Unable to bear it a moment longer, his right hand slid down her body, taking a direct path to the one destination that he wanted to touch most. Finding her moist center, he began to tease her, stroking her at a tortuously slow pace and driving her crazy with what he was doing to her.

“Richard…” she panted, pressing her head firmly against his shoulder.

Her eyes were screwed shut, her mouth hanging open as she lost herself to the feel of his fingers pleasuring her as she pressed herself fully against her husband. She moved her hips against his hand, trying to get him to move faster…to touch her where she needed him to. He was purposefully tormenting her, refusing to touch her where she needed in order to find relief.

His arm was wrapped protectively around her chest, keeping her securely pinned against his muscular body. His fingers suddenly delved deep inside of her, pumping in and out of her in a steady rhythm that had her begging for more.

She gasped sharply with the increased tempo and penetration, her legs growing tremulous as she continued to move her hips in time with his fingers. She began to whimper, moaning with a desperate need that she couldn’t begin to verbalize as Richard kissed and nipped along her collarbone, pausing to suck on her skin. She squirmed against him, the feel of his chest against her back making her even hotter with a need so overpowering she thought she’d surely go mad.

“Richard…please…” she pleaded breathlessly, sucking in large gulps of air as tears pricked her eyes. “I…I can’t…”

“Shhh…” he gently soothed her ear, finally giving her what she wanted.

He caressed her where she needed him most, causing a roll like building thunder to shoot through her entire body, her powerful magic releasing like a powerful crack of lightning. He held her tightly in his arms, helping her ride out her orgasm as her legs gave out on her, her body trembling violently with the intensity of her release.

Tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes, so overwhelmed by the intensity of the incredible sensations storming through her. She couldn’t make her limbs obey her commands as he kept her locked in a wild euphoria that continued to roil through her. She gasped for a breath as Richard picked her up in his arms and carried her to their waiting bed, kissing her deeply as he gently laid her down on her back.

He quickly removed his pants before crawling into bed with her, settling down to lie next to her as she fought to recover from her intense release. He kissed her softly, his lips ghosting over her skin flushed with her pleasure. Lying next to her, his hand moved to caress her abdomen as his lips brushed against her shoulder before working his way to her breast.

“You’re so beautiful, Kahlan,” he whispered against her skin.

Her fingers found his hair, gripping it firmly as he finally shifted over on top of her, his mouth suckling her breast, teasing it with his teeth and tongue. She hissed as he nipped at her sensitive flesh, spreading her legs to cradle him between her thighs.

Her right hand released his hair, moving down to wrap around his hard arousal. His skin was so hot to the touch as she stroked him. He released her breast, burying his face in the crook of her neck as she continued to excite him to almost unbearable levels.

“Kahlan,” he gasped before moving to crush his mouth against hers.

He reached down between their bodies, pulling her hand away as he kissed her breathless before lining himself up with her. He began to push himself inside of her, his head snapping back with a hiss of unadulterated pleasure with how hot and tight she was around him. It was like coming home every time he was with her, knowing this was where he was always meant to be—with her.

Kahlan’s back arched sharply with the intrusion of his enlarged member, filling her so very full. Her fingernails raked down his back as she keened with the unbelievable pleasure that started between her legs before spreading through every fiber of her being like wildfire. She cried out his name, fighting to catch the breath he had just stolen as he began to move his hips back and forth.

Richard kissed her deeply, one hand making its way to her breast as his other hand caressed her thigh before gripping it firmly. He bent her knee up towards her chest before hooking her leg over his shoulder and causing Kahlan to cry out in ecstasy as he sunk even deeper inside of her.

Neither knew where one ended and the other began as he drove in and out of her with deep penetrating strokes that made her feel as though she was coming undone at the seams every time his hips crashed into hers. Her head rolled from side to side as she moaned in pleasure, her pelvis repeatedly rising to meet each powerful thrust.

“You’re mine…” he murmured in her ear, his breath hot like fire against her skin. “My beautiful, Kahlan…my love…you’re mine…”

His words of love combined with the sheer passion of his love making were rapidly driving her to the edge. She began to writhe beneath him, clutching frantically at the sheets in an effort to hold on just a little longer. They had made love several times before, but this was different somehow, more amazing…more passionate and erotic than ever before.

She was rapidly losing all sense of conscious thought or awareness, wrapped up and entangled in an endless tendril of lust induced hysteria that was unbelievably amazing and yet almost painful as she strained towards release, determined to take him over the edge with her.

Richard was quickly beginning to wear down. He was trying to make her pleasure last as long as humanly possible, but his own need for release was becoming too overwhelming to ignore. He released the grip he still held on her thigh, moving to tease her nipple.

She unexpectedly came hard, clamping down on him and pushing him into his own release. His body bowed, coming painfully at first before euphoria gripped him. He collapsed on top of her, both trembling as they struggled to recover. He gently lowered her leg back onto the bed as he kissed her softly, fearing that he had hurt her.

“Kahlan…I’m so sorry…” he panted heavily.

She silenced him with a passionate kiss, her hands cradling his face with her hands. “That was…amazing,” she reassured him between gasping breaths. “You never have…to hold back with me, Richard. I want to feel…every bit of your love…for me.”

“I will always love you, Kahlan,” he promised her.

“I love you too, Richard,” she murmured with a smile, wrapping her arms around him and rolling him onto his back before kissing him all over again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to my fic Darkest Before Dawn, Kahlan struggles to regain her memories so she can marry Richard, but will it happen before Demos Rahl can stop it?

Chapter 27 (EPILOGUE)

“Come on, Kahlan,” Richard encouraged her as he gripped her hand firmly, bringing it to his lips and kissing her knuckles. “You can do this.”

Kahlan growled low in her throat as sweat rolled down the sides of her face, her neck and her back. The pain was unreal. It felt as if her entire body was being ripped in two starting between her legs. She tightened her hold on Richard’s hand, thankful he was here with her and yet she found she wanted to choke the man for doing this to her.

“You…you did this…to me,” she snapped between panting gasps. “This…is your fault.”

Richard smiled affectionately at her before leaning in and gently pressing his lips to her temple. He gently raked his fingers repeatedly through her damp hair in an effort to provide her some measure of comfort though he knew it was futile. He wanted more than anything to be able to take away her pain, but all he could do was be here with her and support her through it.

“I know, but when this is all over, we’ll have two amazing daughters who will look like their beautiful mother,” he reminded her.

“Sweet talking me…isn’t getting…you out…of trouble,” she grumbled with a deadly glare.

He chuckled softly with her threat, wanting to just hold her close at that moment. “It’s not long before we’ll get to hold our daughters.”

“Just one more push, Kahlan,” the midwife informed her.

“Yes, but there’s…another one…after that,” she groaned in exhaustion, falling back against the pile of pillows behind her as a cry of pain escaped her lips.

“You are the strongest woman I have ever met, Kahlan,” Richard said, brushing her dark hair away from her forehead. “You can do this. I have faith in you.”

Kahlan leaned forward once more, her hands wrapping around her bare knees and gripping them tightly as she pushed hard again. She cried out in pain, a shrill howl suddenly piercing the air as their first born entered the world. Tears began to stream down Kahlan’s cheeks as pain mingled with elation filled her soul at the beautiful sound of her first daughter’s cry.

“It’s a girl,” the midwife excitedly announced as she held up the squirming newborn for the proud parents to see before handing her off to her aid to clean up. “Alright, Kahlan, your next baby is already beginning to come. I can see a head. You need to push again.”

Kahlan could hardly catch her breath, her chest heaving as she sucked in large gasps of air, her body seized with racking pain. She gritted her teeth, her hands moving to her abdomen hard with yet another contraction. Richard quickly shifted to sit beside her on the bed, wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders and providing her the strength that she so desperately needed at that moment.

“You are so beautiful…so amazing,” he told her, nuzzling her cheek with his nose. “I am so in awe of you every single day, Kahlan. You just brought our Isabella into the world and now you’re going to bring us our Sophia. I’m so anxious to see her.”

“Me…too,” she softly said, tears still streaming down her face.

“I love you with all my heart, Kahlan,” he told her, kissing her forehead.

“I love you…Richard…” she whispered, leaning into his hold on her.

He knew she was beyond exhausted. She’d been in labor since long before dawn and now it was the middle of the night, the moon shining brightly in the dark sky. He was so worried about her, afraid of losing her through this grueling delivery. He knew that she was strong and could do this, but he feared that being in labor for so long had sapped all her strength.

Kahlan breathed through the next contraction, her muscles coiled with pain and exhaustion. She didn’t think she could go on much longer, her body feeling as though it would betray her and give out on her at any moment. She dug deep for the strength she needed to deliver her Sophia, more than anxious to meet her second daughter. 

She curled her body around her abdomen, pushing with what little she had left, a strangled scream escaping her throat as an infant’s wail joined the pain-filled chorus. She collapsed back into her husband’s waiting arms, her breathing ragged and her face flushed. Her eyes fell closed as she turned to bury her face into the crook of Richard’s neck. He rubbed her back, holding her close as he gazed for the first time at his second daughter.

“They’re both perfect,” he murmured, nearly overcome with emotion as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. “You did it, Kahlan. Our daughters are finally here.”

“I…I want to hold them,” she softly said. “I want to see my girls.”

“Kahlan, you’re exhausted,” he replied. “Maybe you should rest for a while and—”

“No, I’ve waited nine months already,” she insisted. “I want to hold my girls.”

Richard could deny her nothing and now was not any different as he went to the midwife to take one of his daughters. “Here is Isabella,” the midwife introduced him to his daughter before handing him the next one. “And this one is Sophia.”

“They look so much alike it’s going to be next to impossible telling them apart,” Richard mentioned with a concerned frown.

“I placed a pink ribbon on Sophia’s wrist to help tell them apart,” the midwife informed him.

“Thank the spirits for that,” he said as he carried his daughters to the bed where his wife anxiously awaited her daughters. 

Kahlan quickly reached out, taking Sophia into her arms. Looking down into the cherubic face of her youngest, she couldn’t hold back the happy tears that blurred her vision, a proud smile tugging at her lips. “She has your nose,” she readily decided as Richard settled onto the bed beside her with Isabella in his arms. 

“And Isabella has your mouth,” he noted as he ran the tip of his finger along his sleeping daughter’s chubby cheek before turning to gaze at his wife. “You did it, Kahlan.”

She turned to meet his eyes, stunned by the intensity of his love for her that resided there. “We did it,” she corrected him as she leaned in to kiss him.

Their kiss was warm and sweet, filled with so much emotion and words that had yet to be spoken, but were understood in that moment. Breaking the kiss, Richard rested his forehead against hers, looking down at his youngest daughter.

“She may have my nose, but she looks like you,” he commented. “In fact, I think they both look like you.”

Kahlan shook her head in disagreement. “I see so much of you in both of them.”

“I never thought I could ever be this happy,” he softly told her, still in awe of what they had created together. “Thank you for my daughters.”

“No, thank you, Richard,” she replied, pausing to kiss him again. “It’s because you never lost faith that we could be together someday that we’re here now.”

“Despite everything that we’ve been through, we finally have what we’ve wanted all along,” he said. “I promise I’ll do everything in my power to protect what we have.”

“We both will,” she murmured with his special smile as her hand came to rest against his cheek. “I love you with my heart, Richard.”

“And I love you more than life itself, Kahlan,” he responded with a grin as he leaned in to kiss her again.

 

**THE END**


End file.
